Car Share: Recipe of Love
by Golden Suze
Summary: John and Kayleigh want to keep their relationship a secret but seeing as the workplace is a place where no secret can be kept for more than five minutes. How will Dave Thompson react when he finds out and also Kayleigh spends an unexpected but memorable evening at John's house.
1. It Doesn't Matter What You Think

**Car Share: The Recipe of Love**

 **Chapter 1**

"Liste Kayleigh. We can't tell anyone at work yet about our relationship."

"What, not even Elsie?"

"Yes, especially not Elsie. That woman would put the details of our relationship on a billboard in massive letters, if she could and then deny it when we confront her, with another one of her 'I'm saying nuffin.' replies."

"Good point. She's had nothing to gossip about since Donna and Rick gave out their wedding invitations last week."

Kayleigh wasn't as worried as John about the thought of when their relationship might finally be out in the open and how their colleagues will react. She was sure they'd all be pleased for her and John, seeing as they've been the talk of the shop for a couple of months. She gave him an adorable cuddle as the taxi driver dropped them off just outside the store's car park.

"Give over woman will ya." John chuckled. He knows she loves him as much as he loves her but what was she playing at? Someone from work was bound to witness them looking loved up in the back of the taxi. John tries to wriggle out of the cuddle but finds he can't quite manage it. Christ, she was a strong hugger, he had to give her that.

If Dave Thompson got word of their relationship, he was certain that his Scottish colleague will do all he can to make sure Kayleigh would be transferred to the Burnley or Wigan store. So they had to be careful of not giving any clues away about their relationship.

"Sorry I couldn't resist." Kayleigh says as she pulls away. The taxi driver has a knowing smirk on his face, after seeing them cuddling in the rearview mirror.

"That'll be £10.50 please." The taxi driver announces. John reluctantly hands over the right amount of money for the taxi fare. Kayleigh and John then get out of the taxi once he's paid. The taxi driver quietly mouths 'Have a nice day lovebirds' to which John sees him doing.

As they cross over the grass verge and into the car park, Kayleigh wants to hold John's hand and rest her head on his shoulder. John allows her to when he sees nobody hanging around in the car park. They're early for work that morning, an hour early as a matter of fact. They didn't know what they were going to do for the spare hour. Either head to the staff changing room and cross their fingers that the likes of Alexa, Elsie or Pamela weren't currently in there yet or spend time together in John's office in Head Office

"Did you see what that taxi driver said?" John gave a shake of the head.

"No." Kayleigh was oblivious to what the taxi driver had supposedly said.

"Cheeky arsehole mouthed a 'Have a nice day lovebirds'." John wasn't best pleased.

"John, please stop getting worked up about people knowing about us. If the worst happens and they do find out about us then we'll put our eggs in one basket...pardon the pun..." John pulls a slight cringe face before wiping it off his face with a curious look. "if Dave confronts us and demands we split up, we'll both tell that dickwad that's not going to happen. Don't let that arseclown walk over you. You've got to stand up and put him straight...are you even listening to me?" Kayleigh's fighting talk was rather inspirational and impressive to listen to, so much it made John's heart skip a beat and grow more fond of her than ever.

"Course I'm listening. I'm listening to you to describe Dave Thompson in the best way I've heard someone describe him. I'll give him hell if he takes a swipe at you, Kayleigh." Kayleigh was right, Dave Thompson needed to be stood up to. The Scot was arrogant, smug-faced and unlikable. He needed to butt out of people's love lives especially the likes of Cath Hilton's. John remembers how Dave told her two years ago, that she was better off without her cheating ex-husband and she should concentrate more on work.

"Awww John." She leans towards her and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Are you deliberately trying to speed up us getting found out?" John asked. He was surprised at her change of heart.

"I might be..." Kayleigh winked he eye flirtatiously.

"You are unbelievable Kayleigh Kitson." John mutters to himself.

"Why thank you for saying, Mr Redmond." She giggles as they enter through the staff entrance doorway.

 **xxx**

Kayleigh's waiting around for John in the car park around clocking off time. She had sent him about 10 text messages throughout her shift. John only ended up replying to 2 of the messages. Dave must have somehow been informed about her and John's relationship and he was now probably giving John the dilemma of choosing between his job or his relationship. Someone must have busted them but who? Elsie? Donna? Pamela? or that new delivery driver who looked like Danny Dyer and who clearly fancied her. Of course, she wasn't remotely interested in him because she thought he was a bit too creepy and a bit of Casanova with the ladies.

When John did finally show up, she hurried over to him and started questioning why he had taken so long to clock off. The sunshine was blazing hot outside, so much that she wished she had worn her favourite pair of sunglasses from Primark.

"John! I've been waiting for ages for you out here. What happened with Dave Thompson does he know about us?" She needed clarification on whether or not one of them may be harshly transferred elsewhere.

"Yeah, he does know about us. Someone saw us getting out of the taxi and then put two and two together. I'm surprised at whoever grassed us both up." John confirmed Kayleigh's fear that someone had in fact gone straight to Dave's office and reported the two of them.

"And what did he say?" Kayleigh had to know what was said. She didn't fancy being left in the dark on how many insults Dave had mentioned about her.

"Well, our jobs are safe if that's what you want to know." John revealed the surprising news they had been worrying over nothing.

"I don't understand." Kayleigh looks a tad confused.

"It means we can still keep our jobs, Kayleigh." John grinned. Wait until she hears about how he wriggled out potentially being sacked. She was bound to be incredibly impressed with the type of trump card he played against Dave.

"Yeah but how? You said you were sure we'd be in big trouble if and when Dave found out you were dating a member of staff." Kayleigh still couldn't get her head around how John had saved both of their jobs.

"Well..." John smiled as he begun to fill her in on the details on what exact words were said between him and Dave.

John was shown straight into Dave's office at 12:15. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bag of nerves. He took a seat in front of Dave. Their current scenario resembled that of a contestant facing the likelihood of being fired on The Apprentice. Dave hadn't sounded best pleased upon learning of John's blossoming relationship with Kayleigh Kitson of all people. He assumed that woman had well and truly wrapped John around her finger and dug her claws into him at the first opportunity. The Scot soon voiced his disappointment.

"What are you playing at John? Being seen off work premises, fraternizing with one of the promotions staff. Kayleigh Kitson, I told you, she was playing you like a fucking fiddle and you ignored my advice." Dave fumed, John was certain he could see thick steam coming out of Dave's large ears. Kayleigh's motivational words from earlier in the day had remained in his mind like a rewindable tape and because of her, he was able to find the ultimate strength and belief that whatever Dave threw at him about Kayleigh, John would defend her honour from the highest building in the world.

"I don't care if she is Dave. Whatever you think of Kayleigh, she's good at her job and she's a good motivator and she's the kindest member of staff." John stuck up for Kayleigh as best as he possibly can.

"I don't care what you say about her. That woman is no longer working here at this store. Give me one good reason why she deserves to stay." Dave said the harshest words John had heard him say. John had a choice at the end of the day. He expects him his colleague to make the right choice, accepting Kayleigh Kitson no longer works for their store and telling her that their relationship is over.

"Because I love her Dave." John wasn't giving up without a fight.

"Is that so." Dave was taken back by John's answer. He sat back in his chair in contemplation. Mulling over John's words over and over again. John was left to guess what horrible attempt Dave might make next in his bid to split the pair up. Honestly, this man had been getting away with pushing his weight and raising his finger at staff members throughout the store for too long. Somehow needed to say something now before Dave humiliated a member staff in those most awful of ways possible.

"Dave I'm not going to change the way I feel about her, you know." John added. Being backed into a corner was a bit uncomfortable for him and a place where he'd rather not find himself at that very moment.

"I know and I understand." Dave surprised not just John but also himself with what he was on the verge of telling him. He assumed John wasn't serious about his relationship and was having second thoughts.

"You do?" John raises in eyebrows in surprise. He can't believe what he's just heard Dave say. "Dave?" John sits forward on his seat. His hands clasped together.

"You see the first thing is John. I've been in your position...well not quite in the position of being in love. I..."

"Kayleigh, are you texting? I'm trying to tell you what happened" John sighed, shaking his head twice.

"Sorry. Sorry. I was just texting our Mandy to let her know I've kept my job." Kayleigh quickly put her phone back in her handbag. She regretted whipping it out while he was talking.

"You told Mandy about us?" John wished she hadn't because it was still early days in their he accept that sisters shouldn't keep secrets from each other. Kayleigh telling her younger sister was perfectly acceptable.

"Yeah. She's dead chuffed for me. Said she can't wait to meet you in person. Steve's been bigging you up to her. She thinks you and him are going to be inseparable because of your bromance with him." John blushed. Christ, he was already getting a rave review before he even has the first chance of meeting Kayleigh's protective sister.

"Anyway, where was I?" John had lost ground of where he had left the story of his conversation with Dave. It didn't take him long to recall the thoughtful expression written on Dave's face and to start retelling it again to Kayleigh.

I've made a mess myself, John. I clocked off one night later than I normally do, Anyway, one of the wee ladies who works alongside Kayleigh had a nasty accident on the late shift. So I decided I would help her to the First Aid room. Made sure she was patched up and well one thing led to another because she wanted to give me a kiss on the cheek for helping her. We ended up having a bit of a fumble on the floor." Was Dave seeking his own dose of sympathy?

"Bloody hell Dave this is unlike you. Kissing a member of staff from the shop floor." John looks shocked.

"Listen, John, Rachel promised she ..." Dave announces the lady's name out of nowhere, not realising it was someone well known to John.

"Rachel!" John said aloud. He was surprised but also secretly pleased because Dave could possibly face a grilling over the phone from Peter McMasters at the store's head office in Glasgow if word got to Peter about Dave taking advantage of Rachel.

"Rachel!" Kayleigh gasped with her hands covering her mouth. "Rachel and Dave!" She couldn't believe it. Rachel the minx, had got her claws into Dave Thompson of all people. Rachel had no chance with John whatsoever. So she had to move on and resort to making a play for the next person and low and behold Dave was that very person. Kayleigh really didn't wish to imagine who made the first move in the First Aid room.

"I know. Dave's shitting himself. I told him I wouldn't breathe a word to head office about what went on with him and Rachel and he promised me, he wouldn't split me and you up, by making us work in different stores." John knew she would be thrilled with him, that he went out of his way to make sure their jobs weren't going to be affected.

Kayleigh leaned forward and rewarded John with a gentle kiss on the lips. A kiss that melted his heart in such a wonderful and memorable way. He tried to respond more to Kayleigh's kiss but she pulled away, giving him a look which could only be described as a playful and mischievous. She certainly knew when to lure him and tease him as much as possible.

"Still can't believe Dave and Rachel went at it like bloody rabbits." Kayleigh wasn't giving it a rest just yet as the both of them tried to think of other things to discuss. She had thought of Rachel being her rival but was so relieved to know now that Rachel might have potentially put her job on the line after her steamy encounter with Dave.

"Alright don't rub it in. Don't go rubbing it in Rachel's face because I don't want you getting yourself in trouble especially if Rachel slaps you and you slap her back." John feared Kayleigh might not be able to keep quiet about this. He knows she doesn't hold a good record when comes to keeping things secret for long.

"I'll slap her alright. I slap her back up to Newcastle if I have to. That cow fancies any fella that smiles at her. My advice is they should run while they still can from her." Although Rachel wasn't a likely threat to her and John, Kayleigh revealed how she would react if Rachel got angry with her.

"Eh enough of that talk. I'm management, I could sack you on the spot for talking like that." John can't say he's surprised by Kayleigh's comments, knowing how Kayleigh isn't a fan of Rachel's.

"Talking like what?" Kayleigh pretends she doesn't have a clue.

"Suggesting a possible slap attack on another colleague, that's what!" John assumes she's only messing but thinks she should be reminded that you can't exactly threaten to slap someone you don't like in a working environment.

"A slap attack? sounds like something that happens to you when you get slapped in the face by a fish." Kayleigh giggles at the way John is trying to stay professional while nobody else was currently hanging around the car park other than themselves.

"You know, I'm not a fan of Rachel's either. That Geordie madam tried to wriggle her way onto the Christmas team, the other week by asking if she could be Mrs Santa...bloody cheek of her."

"Did she?" Kayleigh was surprised to see John not being nice about her Geordie colleague. "That's my mate you're talking about."

"As if...she's your mate." John shot her defence of Rachel, down within an instant. The two suddenly start laughing at the same time as each other. Their laughter reveals how much the other wasn't really being honest about what they just said.

"Hey fancy a walk to the nearest bus stop. We can stop off at Subway first and grab a Sub." Kayleigh fancied buying a Sub sandwich from Subway. She liked the Tuna Sub. She couldn't try any of the other subs because she didn't like the spiciness of them or the chunks of chicken in them. Her love for animals had always made her feel this way.

"A Football Sub? I knew you were cheeky Kayleigh but I didn't think you'd be this cheeky." John jokes with her. Smirking as he walks a little more ahead of her. She can hear him laughing to himself, probably congratulating himself on the joke he just made.

"Oi cheeky. You'll be finding yourself up there in the cheeky charts with Rachel, in a minute if you keep this behaviour up of yours." Kayleigh warns him, he better not keep this for much longer otherwise she'll be working her powers of seduction on him quicker than you could say 'Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the Fandango'.

"Alright...alright...keep your voice down will ya. You never who might be listening to us." John laughs as he holds out his hand to her, which she gladly accepts and then squeezes it gently. She loves the feel of his soft fingertips being linked with hers.

When they enter the Subway outlet. They get a few looks from some of the other customers inside, who were probably quietly asking themselves the same question, how come a man like John had managed to end up with a beautiful woman like Kayleigh as his girlfriend. He didn't really care whatever else they thought about him being the envy of all men in the shop.

They left there once they bought their sandwiches and soon made their way to the nearest bus stop, which was a 5 minute away, down past the DFS and the Sports Direct shop/warehouses. Although it was late September, it felt like a lovely early evening for a stroll for anyone to go on.

"Eh, did you see the look you got in Subway? Those two blokes at the counter looked like they were queuing up to shake your hand." Kayleigh brought up the small matter of the encounter, which John had found himself with two blokes who looked the spitting image of Phil and Grant Mitchell off EastEnders. They hadn't looked exactly pleased.

"Really?...that's not the impression I got." Kayleigh had clearly misread the two guys body languages. From John's POV, the two looked like they were toying with the idea of getting their own back on John, seconds after Kayleigh had barged in front of them in the queue.

Kayleigh pulled an 'hmm maybe I'm not Mystic Kayleigh after all' type of face. John was checking his pockets, to make sure he wasn't short of change for bus fare. He had enough change...thank god. He hadn't forgotten that Kayleigh still owed him £140 for the fortress lock and £4.70, £144.70 in total for these two. Perhaps she'd actually forgotten she owes him this. He doesn't think he should remind her of this yet.

"Do you have to go back to your Mandy's? You could over to mine with me instead. I'll rustle up one of my favourites." John didn't want her staying on the bus alone after he got off at his stop.

"Oooh get you, Jamie Oliver..." Kayleigh said with a little smirk.

John simply laughed off her comment that he could give Jamie Oliver a good run for his money at being a Master Chef when it comes to cooking and serving a tasty meal or two for house guests. John knew very well he wasn't as good as Jamie Oliver but he knew he had served some memorable meals in the past. A few weeks ago Paul, who had tried and enjoyed John's Lasagna, had suggested afterwards he should apply to go on the likes of MasterChef or The Great British Bake Off.

The bus came around 5-6 minutes later. Kayleigh didn't fancy getting eyed up by the young bus she left John to pay their bus fares while she went to secure their seats at the back of the bus. John rejoined her at the back of the bus. He knew he couldn't face being apart from her for a short few seconds. He personally thought that sounded a tad silly but he knew how Kayleigh would react, she would just think 'aww'.

"So you bought my Cassette tape with you today?"

"No, sorry I haven't. Do you still want it back?"

"You might as well keep it." John succumbed to the likelihood of him possibly never getting it back. Kayleigh might as well keep it herself. At least he knew it would be in safe hands with her.

"Aww, thanks, John." Kayleigh planted another kiss on his cheek. This was turning into quite a hobby for her. kissing his bloody cheek all the time. He cherished the moments where she didn't care who saw them behaving affectionately with each other. Well, they had nothing to hide from their work colleagues anymore, especially now Dave Thompson was fully aware of their budding romance, thanks to whoever was responsible for revealing he and Kayleigh were an item.

"I must have listened to your song at least 150 times by now." She couldn't get enough of the Car Share Buddy lyrics. She certainly knew each lyric a thousand times better than when she attempted to sing one of the lyrics to John in the Fiat this time last week.

"What over 7 days?" John and Kayleigh's relationship had lasted a week. They were still in the early stages of their relationship. Taking things slow just like they both said they would. John didn't mind the many kisses she had given him on the lips as well as his cheeks. Although they hadn't technically gone on a date together just yet, John felt that with her coming to his house for a meal that evening could very well be like a rehearsal for a date.

Kayleigh giggled the moment she saw the brief 'WTF, Kayleigh' look etched across John's face. No, she hadn't quite broken the Cassette Tape, like John was clearly fearing. She soon decided she should probably put his mind to rest. "It's still playable John. Just needs two batteries. Don't worry I haven't let Alfie or Chloe get their hands on it."

"Good to know I'm worrying myself over nothing then." John smiled to himself. "Kids these days will probably treat things like Cassette Tapes like Gaffa Tape or Vinyls like bloody frisbees." John's words rang true to life. Kayleigh nodded her head in agreement with him. John's words made Kayleigh realise how Mandy lets Alfie get away with playing too much football outside the neighbours' houses.

Before they knew it, the time had come for them to get off at John's local bus stop which was just so happened to be right outside a pub named the 'St Paddy McGuinness'.

"Oh, that was quick. Just when I beginning to get settled on the back seat." Kayleigh makes a suggestive mark and winks her eye at him while they're waiting for the doors to open. John hopes she's only joking. Soon as the doors open, Kayleigh hops off the bus step and onto the pavement below with the happiest of smiles. John follows behind her. His confidence soon takes hold of him once again as he reaches for her hand and gives it the gentlest of squeezes.

"You're not going anywhere, Lady." John says half-seriously but it was easy to see that he couldn't manage to keep a straight face.

"I'm not?" Kayleigh pretends that she's oblivious to this whole new situation. It came as no surprise to see that the pair of them failed indefinitely at keeping a straight face. Kayleigh's loud enough giggling caught the attention of an elderly couple who were shopping nearby. John wears the cheekiest of smiles on his face while he's busy ushering a confused Kayleigh passed the two nosy locals. When they get around the corner and into John's street, John starts to relax/feel more in his comfort zone again.

"John, what was all that just now with that couple? Do you know them?"

"Yeah. They live over the road from me, Maureen and Derek. Maureen's a right busybody. Derek's her long-suffering husband. They remind of the Bouquets off Keeping Up Appearances."

"Oh, I love Keeping Up Appearances. The Bouquet residence... the lady of the house speaking." Kayleigh impresses John with a posh accent.

"I didn't know you love that show, Kayleigh." John grins.

"Oh yeah. I always watch the repeats on Gold everytime they're shown. I love taking off Hyacinth." Kayleigh reveals why she loves this tv comedy classic.

They soon reached the front of John's house. It felt strange seeing no Fiat parked on the driveway beside the house. John had hinted to her that he might be getting the car back in a fortnight, once the MOT checks have been completed. He had to grin and bear the bus or taxi journeys to work for a little while longer. Before 7 days ago he hadn't travelled from place to place around the North West on public transport for 18 years.

"You miss the Fiat don't you?" Kayleigh could tell by his sudden quietness that he was reflecting on the memories they had of them laughing and singing aloud to some of their favourite songs which were being played on Forever FM.

"I do too." Kayleigh whispers. John smiles. He's glad to know he isn't the only one who is missing the Fiat. He soon leads her up the pathway towards the front doorstep. He frees his hand from hers, places the key in his hand and then slowly opens the door with it. He lets her sashay past him first. Kayleigh couldn't resist getting slightly closer to him as she walks past him in the hallway. John closes the door behind him.


	2. I Feel Love

**Car Share: The Recipe of Love**

 **Chapter 2**

The first thing which impressed Kayleigh very much about John's house was the colourful and patterned different wallpaper in each room. Nothing looked out of place, magazines stacked in the corner of the left-hand corner of the room and he has the 48-inch plasma TV attached to the wall which you can see as soon as you enter the living room. Mandy's living room was always left in a right mess, thanks to Steve's motorbike magazines, bike parts and Alfie and Chloe's homework.

Kayleigh decided to text Mandy. No doubt her younger sister will text back, gleefully teasing and texting her sister back, to ask her if she and John have given to the temptation of breaking their no sex pact. Kayleigh knew she wouldn't hear the end of it, once she sends this text message. She quickly types what she wants to say in her text message. "Won't be coming home tonight. Staying over at John's house instead. He asked me over for my tea, I said yes. I'll text you later xx" She sends it.

John hung his work jacket up on the coat hanger and took his shoes off in the hallway. John had certainly lived quite a quiet home life since he became single after splitting up with Charlotte. Kayleigh admired him for keeping his head down after this previous heartbreaking split which he had unfortunately experienced.

"Nice living room you've got, tidy." Kayleigh says as she steps into the main room and looks towards the window, where there's a lovely beautiful view of the garden. "Your garden's bigger than our Mandy's garden. Looks the same size as the Old Trafford pitch." She's got a point though because of what she's seen so far of the garden.

"Give over it's nothing like Old Trafford." John laughs off her suggestion before he slips into the kitchen to put the kettle on, so he could do them both a nice cup of tea or as he once taught her how to pronounce it as, "Kipper Tie" in a Brummie accent.

Kayleigh shrugs her blue jacket off from her shoulders and folds it up. She places it on the armchair of the sofa nearest to the window and then made herself comfy on the two-seater sofa behind her. She soon discovers how John's black leather sofa certainly has the feel of a bouncy castle, when she tries to bounce a little up and down on it. She couldn't resist doing a better bounce for the sake of it. She has a third go but is caught in the act by John who is bringing the mugs for them.

"You're such a child Kayleigh Kitson." John tells the truth of how sees Kayleigh's childlike behaviour. It's mostly bloody funny but it can also feel annoying to put up with especially when she's throwing glittery bits in his face and talking about Christmas as if it were happening the very next week.

"Ah, what about you?" Kayleigh randomly picks out a fault of John's but falls short of saying exactly which one it is.

"What about me?" This was bound to be fun, Kayleigh accusing him of behaving like a child. _'Pfft, she's the child, I'm the mature one here.'_ John awaits her claim with a knowing smile on his face as he hands her one of the mugs. He's put one teaspoon of sugar in her tea as he remembers she doesn't like her drinks being too sweet.

"Well, you're...you're..." Kayleigh can't get the words out properly.

"Go on..." John tries as much as possible not to laugh his head off while she's busy coming up with her silly accusation.

"Well, you love your Monster Trucks, don't you? Yes! Knew I could think of something eventually." Kayleigh celebrates with a victory hand gesture. _'Bugger'_ John knew she wasn't wrong there. He knew he acted like a big kid at heart when talking about how cool the Afterburner, Grizzly, Nitro and Glycerine trucks were to watch in a big arena.

"Alright, I admit I still behave like a child. Happy now?" John sighs with a small hint of relief.

"Oh, very." Kayleigh says, smiling before she takes a sip of her tea.

 **xxx**

Half an hour later, the loved-up pair were now in the kitchen. John was cooking up a simple tasty meal for the both of them - Pasta sprinkled with grated cheese, herbs and potato wedges with a hot tomato sauce.

Kayleigh is sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen counter was already becoming a fond admirer of his excellent cooking skills and keen herself to be taught one or two skills by him. John was now wearing an apron with the words 'The Greatest' written in big bright letters.

"John."

"Kayleigh."

"Are you the greatest?" She asks, after taking three, four glances of his trendy looking apron.

"Eh?" As he has been making every effort possible to whip up a memorable meal for them that evening, John hasn't the faintest of ideas of what she's actually referring to. He stands away from the stove for a minute while the pasta is simmering away in the pan and starts to pay her more attention.

"Are you the greatest at winning a woman's heart with your cooking?" She tries to guess if this is what the message on his apron is trying to tell her. Surely it couldn't have meant anything else, sporting related or non-romantic related.

John looks at his apron and soon realises she's been wondering what the message on his apron meant. "Well, I guess you'll have to wait and find out the answer for yourself soon, Kayleigh" He answers, grinning and winking his left eye as if to say _'That's all the beaver's gonna tell you for now.'_

"Oi cheeky." Kayleigh banters back, finding the funny side of this. She's eyeing up the potato wedges he has chopped up on the chopping board and lined up, ready to be baked in the oven. John returns his focus on the pan with the pasta in and carefully draining the water from it.

A short time later, Kayleigh was more than happy to taste the freshly made tomato sauce John had blended for the wedges. She enjoys it's taste so much, that she can't resist helping herself to a few mouthfuls of it.

"Mmm John this is so good. You should take up making homemade tomato sauce for the Supermarkets and then use a different name to promote them." She thinks it would be a great way for him to earn more money.

"I'm not JK Rowling, you know?" John laughs, he doesn't want to pull a page out of the Harry Potter author's book, by going under an alias name for when he got the opportunity to promote his homemade tomato sauce.

"Who?" Kayleigh looks completely clueless about who this person he's referring to is.

"JK Rowling. She wrote the Harry Potter books. Don't tell me you've never read the books as well." John chuckles. He's not going to say much else otherwise he'll leave her feeling even more confused. That is what he adores about Kayleigh the most, the 'John stop talking shit' looks she gives him. He felt like the luckiest man ever to have this amazing, funny and beautiful woman gracing his life right now. She makes him laugh, she makes him happy and most importantly she makes John feel loved in a unique way not even Anna and Charlotte could have possibly loved him.

"John, I said I haven't watched Harry Potter...or read the books. Besides I'm a Twilight fan." She happily reveals.

"Twilight! urgh, that vampire film trilogy with whats-his-face from Harry Potter?" John means Robert Pattinson but the name is failing to make an appearance in his mind. "Please tell me you're 'avin' a laugh?!" John asks. He's watched all three of the films but can't say he's a fan of any of them. The pair might not have shared the same taste in films but their taste in music is what helped to connect them to each other other than being head over heels in love with one another.

"No, I'm not 'avin a laugh' John. You know, if you watched Twilight with me, you might actually appreciate the film more." Kayleigh thinks he might slowly warm to the first film if he sits down and watches it with her.

"Not going to happen, Kayleigh." John is adamant. She accepts he's going to need plenty of persuading. She knows she will need to work her charm on him one way or another.

"Ok. Fine. Maybe you'll watch Top Gun with me instead the next time it's on the telly." Kayleigh's certainly not giving up on persuading to watch one of her favourite films with him.

"Fine, you've won me over with Top Gun, Kayleigh. Just don't start fantasizing me dressed as Tom Cruise in that fighter pilot gear and the sunglasses will ya when we finally get a chance of watching it together." John laughs. He knows she will though because she knows she likes her having one or two fantasies especially when she's meant to be getting customers to sample her Dairylea Dunkers at work.

Kayleigh's phone suddenly vibrates, Mandy's responded to her text message. John is adding the final touches to their meals for the evening, 40 minutes after making a start on it.

"LOL! You're not fooling me, sis. Bet you're already fancying trying more than John's food tonight. Text me back with all the glory details, Mand xx"

"What's up?" John asks her just as he's indicating for her to follow him over to the kitchen table, which was in a much smaller room next to the living room.

"Our Mandy's winding me up that's what. I text her to say I'm staying here tonight. She sent me a text back just now, saying she thinks I'll be fancying more than just your food" Kayleigh wasn't exactly sure how the night might pan out for the both of them, if there will be any romantic surprises awaiting them or not for later in the evening. Mandy's text wasn't exactly helping matters for her either.

"Well, you will be, won't you? Look I'm not going to fob you off if that's what you're thinking. I'm glad you invited yourself over for tea. You can cuddle me as much as you like, you know while we're both pissing ourselves laughing at whatever's on BBC One or BBC Two after 9." John tries to reassure her, he has no intention of pushing her away and making her feel unwelcome in his own home after she's eaten the lovely meal he's done for her. Mandy's text had really put the cat amongst the pigeons with her. His promise soon feels reassuring enough to calm her down.

"Really? You fancy receiving one of my cuddles, John?" She's genuinely touched to witness him opening his heart to her. They both take their seats at the table. Sitting intimately together. John tucks into a mouthful of the meal straight away as he ponders what to tell her next. When he's digested the food, he decides to be more sincere and open with her.

"Yeah. We love each other, don't we? Sorry that it's taken me a few days to say it. I do want to take things further with you in time but not just now, tonight. Cos I'm still trying to get my head around aren't a few things, aren't I? The best one, me having such a wonderful and sexy girlfriend being a part of my life right now." John wants them to take the relationship to the next level when the time feels right. He knows he isn't going to make her wait forever.

"So, you think I'm sexy?" Her face glows like a Blackpool illumination light when she realises this is the loveliest compliment he's given her.

"Of course you're sexy. Kayleigh Kitson, I've got you to thank haven't I? for making me believe in love again." John admits. He can tell from her body language, she's busy trying to fight the urge to stop herself from jumping him and riding him like a buffalo bronco. He smiles to himself, knowing they can both make this certain fantasy happen for real very soon indeed.

Kayleigh doesn't say a word. She gazes at him lovingly before she dips two potato wedges into the tomato sauce, which she can't get enough of. She licks her lips the sauce from her mouth in a rather seductive manner. John wonders if she's doing this intentionally to turn him on a little or if she's aiming to awaken his sexual excitement. He was now sweating like a horse being presented at winner's enclosure in hot weather and feeling undoubtedly drawn to her more, as he watched her.

Kayleigh quietly congratulates herself for achieving her goal of making him feel hot under the collar.

"Oh, John. This is so delicious." Kayleigh says before grabbing a few wedges and dipping them in the sauce.

"Christ slow down will ya. This isn't a race of who can finish their meal first ya know." John cries with tears of laughter.

"I know but I'm so hungry John. I could eat like four tables worth of food." Kayleigh admits.

"You greedy woman." John almost falls off his chair because he's laughing his head off so much at her comment.

"John!" Kayleigh pretends to be offended.

 **xxx**

Around 8:30, they had finished their meal and were sitting next to each other. They look the absolute picture of happiness. Kayleigh has snuggled herself in his arms. Well seeing as it had been an awfully long and tiring day and now that the day itself was nearly all over, all Kayleigh longed, for now, was to stay like this forever with him.

They're currently watching an episode of Death in Paradise and separately attempting to work out who is the killer. A woman has been found murdered in one of the villa pool's and everything about this mystery makes it appear to look as though the woman had somehow slipped and accidentally drowned but had she? that was the question. Kayleigh thinks it's the shifty husband and John thinks it's the betrayed friend who has a look about her like butter wouldn't melt.

"Ooh get you, Detective Redmond," Kayleigh says as she admires him, observing every scene of the episode like a real-life detective.

"Thanks, Detective Kitson." John banters back. "I've gotta love my crime shows more than the soaps. Better stuff happens in these shows."

"Have you watched Death in Paradise before?" She likes his enthusiasm for a tv crime drama such as this one.

"Have I? I've got every bloody series on the DVD. You can borrow Series 1 off me anytime you want, you know if you fancy binge-watching your way through the show from the start." John offers, hoping she might agree to borrow every Death in Paradise DVD he owns.

"Ok, I don't see why not. It's always nice to try something new to watch, you know when there isn't anything worth watching on tv." Kayleigh says. John silently agrees with her.

When the killer is eventually revealed, there's a twist in the tale; it turns out it was the son in law who killed his stepmother. "Well, I wasn't expecting that." John says. "That's what so good about this show. As the viewer, you think you know who it is but they only go and reveal the killer to be the character you least expected."

"I know! I never get to watch the tv shows I want in our Mandy's house when all of us sit down to watch whatever's on the telly. Oh, John, she and Steve don't half watch so much shit on tv. I thought I was bad but Our Mandy and Steve definitely beat me at this." Kayleigh has to tell him of the boredom she faces over a few nights while she's in the living room.

"Why? What do they watch?" John asks.

"Well Steve's got his Guy Martin boxset to watch and Our Mandy watches Game of Thrones. Urgh can't stand those type of shows. TV violence always makes my arms and legs go like jelly." Kayleigh quickly demonstrates the precise way her legs turn to jelly at the sight of one of the characters who looks a goner in a battle scene.

"Game of Thrones. Our Paul loves that show. Christ, I'm glad I don't." John shares her dislike for the show. She's thrilled to know he doesn't like tv dramas which are a bit too violent and risque.

Once Death in Paradise finishes, John sees no point of leaving the tv on, so he switches it off and puts music on for them to listen to instead. John temporarily frees himself from her embrace. His stereo player which is beneath the plasma tv looks expensive. Kayleigh thinks John must have paid at least £350 for it. He presses play on the remote control, to play the first song. Kayleigh sits up and forwards on the sofa, with the palm of her hands placed flatly on the edge of the sofa.

Adele's Make You Feel My Love is appropriately the first song that's on John's playlist. "Fancy a dance with me, Miss Kitson?" John chivalrously makes his next intentions known. He would like to share a dance or two with her, that's if she's happy to accept his offer. He extends his hand out in her direction, which she gladly obliges by grasping it and then happily allows him to pull her up from the sofa.

"When the rain is blowing in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love."

John places his other hand on her waist. He makes sure he's holding her close to him. Kayleigh rests her head on his shoulder as they begin their romantic dance.

"When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

Oh, I hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love."

They dance marvellously and uniquely in full view of the window. In a way, they were giving some of John's nosy neighbours a dance performance worthy of being performed as a Waltz on Strictly Come Dancing. John's heart is melting because of the closeness and emotional connection he's feeling with Kayleigh right at that moment. He wants to sweep her up in his arms and carry her up the stairs to his bedroom, lay her down on his bed and then make love to her but knows he can't yet. He knows it was only a matter of time before he gave into his feelings quicker than you can say 'I'm going to kick Dave Thompson's arse'.

"I know you haven't made your mind up yet

But I will never do you wrong

I've known it from the moment that we met

No doubt in my mind where you belong"

John and Kayleigh continue their dance as the next song comes on. "I swear Adele wasn't on my playlist. Our Paul must have added it behind my back when he was here the other day. Cheeky arseclown." John laughs. Paul had come over to the house two days ago, to borrow a litter picker from his brother. His brother must have fiddled around with the songs on the stereo while he was in the garden.

The next song is Wet, Wet, Wet's Love is All Around. "Oh, I love this song." Kayleigh says excitedly.

"I feel it in my fingers  
I feel it in my toes  
The love that's all around me  
And so the feeling grows"

"It's written on the wind  
It's everywhere I go  
So if you really love me  
Come on and let it show"

Kayleigh removes her head from his shoulder and gazes up at him. Her eyes sparkling like two beautiful glitter balls and John knows from that moment on, he's succumbing to the unrequited passion that's been building up between them since she stepped inside his house over two hours ago. She cups his cheek with her left hand.

She leans in for the kiss as does John but it doesn't quite according to plan as they hoped as John soon finds the tip of her nose resting against his lips instead of her lips. Kayleigh has surprisingly fallen asleep. John smiles to himself. He quietly turns the music off and guides her back over to the sofa, where he lays her down and props her head up against the arm of the sofa. He then finds a cushy pillow and carefully places it underneath her head. John then throws a Manchester City printed duvet over her, he makes sure that it's enough to keep her warm.

Deep down he does feel somewhat disappointed that things between them had come to an abrupt end for the evening. He stood there for nearly 10 minutes. All he could think of was what it would be like to kiss her during the intimate moment which they'd just shared but he knows that wait to kiss this amazing woman shouldn't be too long. He places a soft kiss on her forehead before he makes his way up to the upstairs bathroom for a quick face wash and then finally to his bedroom.

 **xxx**

John couldn't sleep a wink, knowing Kayleigh was sleeping alone downstairs and the thought of himself sleeping there wide awake was driving him crazy. As his eyes outstared the next door neighbour's cat Chuckles, who is occupying the garden. He finds himself considering writing another cheesy love song to help him, describe his latest feelings.

He checks the clock on the bedside table; it reads 1:01am in big blue neon letters. He sticks a leg out the bed but is soon stopped in his tracks by the sound of what appears to be light footsteps slowly making their way up the stairs. "Kayleigh." He mouths. Perhaps she wanted to use the upstairs toilet at the top of the stairs. He gets back in bed and covers the duvet over "I Will Rock You" pyjama t-shirt.

The door opens. John looks up and sees Kayleigh standing there. She's still in her uniform which looks crumpled.

"Kayleigh, what's up?" John's eyes are blurry as he talks to her.

"Do you mind if I sleep in here you? Can't sleep on sofas because I'm a sleep roller."

"Of course, you can. You don't need to ask" John can't say he's heard of Sleep Rolling before.

"Aww, thanks, John." Kayleigh is so thrilled that he's not telling to go back downstairs. She knows how caring, sweet-natured and lovely John can be whenever he's looking out for her or his Nana Rose. She climbs onto the bed and crawls up to lie next to John. She lifts the duvet up and immediately sees John's Queen inspired pyjama top. "Do you mean me?" She asks as she pulls the duvet up over their fully clothed bodies and then rests her head back on the bed pillow next to John.

"Eh?" John asks. Of the four months, he's known her for, Kayleigh had asked some daft questions but this one definitely got the award for the daftest question of the lot, which she's asked.

"You know, as if you're telling me, I will rock you when the time's right, Kayleigh." She winks and says not much else.

"I dunno. It might mean many things other than what you think it means. Who knows." John winks back at her.

They lay facing each other with John's hand caressing her shoulder. Kayleigh still looks overdressed for bed minus her court shoes which she had left in the living room. He literally couldn't take his eyes off her. He knows she's the woman he wants to have children with someday. His mum had only said it would be lovely to have another grandchild one day.

"I think the both of us should get some sleep." John suggests, knowing that they both unfortunately needed to be up early, ready for work in a few hours time.

"I'll only go asleep if you promise to hold me." Kayleigh asks nicely.

"Go on then." John agrees, flashing one of his typical idiotic but adorable smiles. Kayleigh moves across to him, she lifts his arm up and positions it around the back of her neck, making sure his hand is resting on her shoulder.

"Sorry I made the silly mistake of falling asleep as you were trying to kiss me. It must have been my lady time getting the better of me again." Kayleigh reveals a possible reason as to why she had unintentionally fallen asleep.

John pulls a face as if to say 'Too much information, Kayleigh'. She laughs when she's how he's cringing at what she thinks, is him picturing the thought of what the bloody heck goes on with her lady time, seeing as she drops into their conversations at least three times a week.

"Sorry." She mouths a silent apology. John doesn't think she needs to apology because she's just having one of her Kayleigh moments as per normal. He yawns a little, signalling tiredness is finally getting on top of him. Before he goes to sleep, he dips his head down to kiss. It's a brief and tender kiss which tells Kayleigh all she needs to know about John's love for her.

"Night Kayleigh," John says as soon as he pulls away.

"Night John." She smiles. "My hero." She whispers as she watches him close his eyes and fall into a peaceful sleep. She does the same, a short while later.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are Welcome**


	3. Chapter 3

**cCar Share: The Recipe of Love**

 **Chapter 3**

John had got up at the crack of dawn! because he couldn't contain how happy he was feeling. He had never cooked breakfast for a house guest but seeing as Kayleigh had stayed over for the night and was now happily lying in his bed. He had chosen to make an exception especially for her, for his girlfriend. _Girlfriend?_ He chuckles. He loves the idea of now calling her girlfriend despite the fact they still hadn't had sex. No doubt she's thinking the same in that funny and beautiful mind of hers, feeling overjoyed because she can now officially call John 'her boyfriend'.

John quietly sneaks into the bedroom, bringing in their breakfast on a tray and places it down on the bedside table. He decides it's best to wake Kayleigh, who had slept like a log for the last couple of hours. She had clearly moved over to his side of the bed. He gets himself in a crouching position, on his knees and moves his head close to her.

"Kayleigh...time to wake up Kayleigh. I thought you might like breakfast in bed, courtesy of Chez Redmond." John nudges her but she fails to stir from her peaceful sleep. He then gently shakes her shoulder. She slowly opens her eyes and once they're open, she smiles as soon as she acknowledges John's watchful gaze over her.

"Did we? You know? Did me and you? Sorry, I'm not saying it right am I?" She's far too busy enjoying this new and exciting side of their relationship, to actually try and work out how she had ended up in John's bed.

"You said you couldn't sleep downstairs on the sofa and you asked me if it would be alright if you could sleep next to me if I promise to hold ya in my arms." John kindly fills in the missing blanks for her.

"Oh, you made breakfast in bed for me. No one's ever made for breakfast for me before." Kayleigh looks to see what's behind John and her eyes soon see the breakfast tray with four slices of toast, bacon, sausages and two glasses of Orange Juice on it. She had seen him at his best, at worst and at his more romantic best, this side to him, however, this was one of his she hasn't quite seen before. "Aww thank you, John." Kayleigh rewards his efforts and kindness towards her with a sweet kiss. She cups his face in her hands, his cheeks feel warmish and soft.

The kiss begins to take on a world of discoveries as Kayleigh pulls him closer. She throws her arms around to the back of his neck and then deepens the kiss. She's been wanting to do this ever since the very moment she realised she was falling for him. John kisses her back with just as much equal enthusiasm as her. They were like two lovesick teenagers, who couldn't be parted. The world was their oyster and boy did it feel like the best kind of heaven for them. Minutes later they break away after sharing their epic kiss. Kayleigh still has her arms held around his neck.

"Well, that was..." John is blown away by the kiss, so much so he can't quite find the right words to describe this wonderful, magical and overwhelming effect she's cast on him.

"Perfect." A loved-up Kayleigh finishes the sentence for him. She blushes as she finds herself caught under the strength of his heartwarming gaze.

The sound of John's stomach rumbling halts things from going any further between them. "Guess I might as well, get my mouth around those slices of toast eh." He sighs. Trust his bloody stomach to go and spoil a potential moment he was sharing with Kayleigh.

"Yes, you should Jonathan." Our Mandy's always telling me never go to work on an empty stomach because if I did my day will go from bad to worse... probably like puking in my handbag before I know it." She cringes wishing she hadn't described this in full detail. John grins, seeing her cringe at her own comment. He thinks the many faces she always pulls are priceless, cute and hilarious.

John happily helps himself to two slices of toast and Kayleigh takes a bite of the sausage. She does that thing again like she demonstrated last night without realising it; making the sight of her licking her lips seductively look a turn-on. John gulps, his eyes were thoroughly drawn to those heavenly lips of hers. He swears the longer he feels enchanted by them the more he knows he's going to consider getting them both the day off work, lying to whoever is minding the phones in Head Office, Luke or Georgina. Those two would believe any lie you told them.

They left John's house around 8:45 that morning and began their short walk to the nearest bus stop around the corner from John's street.

 **xxx**

Three days later

It was the day of Elsie's birthday party, true to nature, she wasn't willing to tell anyone her age. John finds it funny how the Irish busybody is always wanting to know everyone's business but she doesn't want anyone knowing hers. Kayleigh thinks he's being a tad unfair on Elsie especially as he was making one too many jokes about her behind her back.

"John!"

"What?"

"Don't be harsh on Elsie. I know you don't feel comfortable on getting along with her but her husband's just filed for divorce. She needs the support of her friends and family right now." Kayleigh accidentally let's slip something she wasn't supposed to tell anyone else yet. Her slip up did make John instantly regret one of the jokes he made about Elsie.

"Oh, I didn't know. When did she get the divorce papers?" John asks.

"Monday morning," Kayleigh says.

"No wonder she didn't look herself." John reflects on when he nipped into the staff canteen to grab a sandwich and saw Elsie sitting alone as he was walking out. She was looking forlorn and quieter than usual. "She did look lost. Food clearly wasn't on her mind. Mind you, I thought Dave had snapped at her because according to him she did bugger all on the deli counter on Monday morning. Didn't think it was anything serious. Oh god, I actually feel sorry for the woman now." For the first time ever, John felt sorry for Elsie. Yes, she might be loud and proud, feisty and naughty but beyond the surface, she was still struggling to deal with having her heart broken by her cheating husband.

"I think this party should cheer her up." Kayleigh is pretty optimistic, Elsie is going to absolutely love her birthday party. Kayleigh herself was looking forward to attending it as Madonna, in the costume she wore for the Into The Groove music video. John hadn't told her which 1980's music singer he plans to dress up as. He was cleverly keeping Kayleigh in suspenders right until the moment he comes over to her Mandy's house to pick her up, with a lift from Jim. He was a bit nervous about introducing the pair of them to each other.

"Please, Kayleigh whatever you do tonight, don't leave me alone with her. Knowing her she'll be latching onto me like a magnet, wanting me as her shoulder to bloody cry on." John laughs in embarrassment. He was keeping his fingers crossed Kayleigh would stay by his side all evening and that she wouldn't be cheeky enough to deliberately lock him a room with Elsie until he succeeds in making her laugh.

"John, she's got a lot on her plate at the moment. She knows about me and you, so she's not going to get there." Kayleigh reassures him, Elsie wouldn't be in a flirtatious mood to make a play for him.

"You never know with her." John's not fully convinced.

"John!... Unbelievable." Kayleigh sighs. He isn't letting this drop. She probably shouldn't be surprised really that he doesn't trust Elsie. There was the saying if a person had cheated on you then you would 'equal the score against them, by sleeping with someone else yourself'. Kayleigh can't say she's surprised that John's a little worried. She had a task on her hands to persuade the only woman getting lucky at the party with him was her. She's suddenly struck by a delightful idea, which she decides not to share with him until later that evening.

"Sorry am I being a proper arseclown again?" John finally realises he's getting on her nerves as well as his own nerves.

He's only asked her this question because he remembers what Kayleigh's definition of an arseclown was; someone who was on behaving a silly and unfunny clown when talking behind someone's else back.

"Yes, I'm afraid so Jonathan. But it's not that bad because you are and always be my sexy arseclown." She declares by playfully pinching his cheek with her fingers. As she settles back on the bench outside, she has a divine smile on her face worthy of being spotted by astronauts from the International Space Station.

"Me a sexy arseclown! Cheeky Woman." John mouths, believing she wouldn't hear him but what he hadn't counted was Kayleigh's award-winning listening skills. She playfully slaps his arm. John loves it when she gets frisky and when she can't keep her hands off him. _Bless her_ , he knows she's trying her best to respect his wishes, not rushing things between them but it had begun to dawn on him, he and Kayleigh were reaching the point of wanting the same thing.

"Anyway my lips are sealed. I won't be blabbing to Diane or Pamela Off Non-Foods about me and my sexy arseclown have been getting up together." She giggles. She checks her watch "Oh shit, I'll have to love you and leave you, John. I told Joyce I'd cover for her." Kayleigh wishes she could spend more time with John but she was sadly unable to.

Their working hours were becoming a problem, John frustratingly had found himself stuck in Head Office for over 6 hours over the last two days and Kayleigh had to deal with Diane and Pamela, who were desperate need something to gossip about and out to find out if Mr Redmond and Kayleigh were officially a couple. The rumours had been circulating like a wildfire since Monday afternoon. Donna had witnessed John looking very nervous before he stepped into Dave's office.

"Why?"

"She's got a dentist appointment hasn't she."

"Okay, well I'll see you later then. Hope you don't mind Jim giving us a lift to the party." John and Kayleigh had both agreed to leave work separately after they've finished work shift for the day. Jim was due to pick up John first around 6 o'clock and then make the drive to Bury to pick up Kayleigh approximately around five past seven.

"That's fine with me." She says before leaning forward and placing him a gentle kiss on his right cheek. She was pretty much looking forward to finally getting to meet 'Jim the dickhead', as John likes to nickname him. Hopefully, he wasn't one of those typical mates who fancies the pants off his best mate's girlfriend. From the way, John has described Jim, her perception of the other member of Companion...Combat, the name still felt like a difficult name to remember even five minutes after being told it.

She strokes her cheek as she slowly pulls away. She loves the feel of his cheek, they're incredibly soft. She gets to her feet from her seat and excitedly gives John a little wave before she steps back into the building.

 **xxx**

Jim is at John's house, right on cue. Jim's a few years older than John. Jim's promised John he won't at any point during the car trip to the Blue Heaven Venue, try and chat Kayleigh up in front of John. In the past Jim's cheeky antics when trying to 'pull birds' had gotten him in the shithouse with both women and the boyfriends of the women who had caught his eye. John had been forced to bail him out and stop him from getting into even further shit.

"So, what do you reckon?" John steps out onto the front doorstep, dressed as Adam Ant. He's wearing the white lined face paint, the jacket, the white shirt, the full shebang even buckle boots which he could hardly walk in.

"Adam Ant!" Jim laughs, he can't believe his eyes, the extraordinary lengths John was going to especially for a birthday party. Judging from his 1980's transformation he looks as though he was hell-bent on winning the 'Best Music Roleplay' prize at the party if they were to have one ready to present with the winners with. "Listen, John, are you sure you can walk in those boots?" Jim thinks John's going to spend the evening wobbling more times than the Leaning Tower of Pisa itself.

"Course I can manage. Be honest with me Jim, have I put too much effort into my costume for the party?" John thinks he may have overthought on one or two clothing items.

"In a way, yes you have. Told you should have tried your Tom Baker outfit." Jim can see John's having a bit of a problem even with walking five steps. Kayleigh might mistakenly believe John's pissed and start sniffing around his lips and nostrils for signs of alcohol consumption not long after he and John arrive at her sister's house.

"No chance. Not after the last time, I wore it for your sister's husband's birthday party. Do you remember the comments that night? Has young Tom Baker time travelled to the future dressed as a Zygon? Tom Baker's let himself go, hasn't he? Proper pissing awful comments. Thank goodness your sister stood up for me at the end of the night."

"Yeah she's a saint, our Karen is," Jim says. They had reflected for a little longer than they had anticipated. Jim's the first to come to remember the two of them should start making tracks to Bury if they want to get themselves ahead of the evening traffic.

"Come on then Adam Ant let's get you in my car before you start leading everyone in your street into a rendition of Prince Charming," Jim says while he's trying to usher his friend onto the front passenger seat.

Within ten minutes they're soon off on the road and starting the trip up to Bury, to pick Kayleigh up.

"Kayleigh's going as Madonna tonight. She wanted to go as Madonna for the staff Summer party but I talked her into going as Hagrid from Harry Potter." John shows Jim the screensaver on his phone of the selfie he took with Kayleigh. Jim views the selfie, he's thrilled for his mate and now can understand why John never shuts up talking about her, whenever they're having one of their rehearsals for an upcoming gig.

"You two look quite the pair in your costume. I can see why you've fallen for her." Jim points out the obvious. He smiles knowingly soon as he sees the "Christ I've been busted" look on John's face.

"Can you?" John' expresses his surprise at Jim's sudden gift for working out someone else's feelings just by the number of mentions they'd given about a woman who they were head over heels in love with.

"Yeah. Look, John, if you want to show Kayleigh how much you love her. Go for it with her. You need to let your guard down and let her in, for crying out loud." John realises Jim's right. He had to take an importantly huge step with Kayleigh and give her the love she has been craving for since she first listened to 'Car Share Buddy'

"I'm gonna invite Kayleigh to mine tonight." John wants her to feel more than welcome at his house for the second time. He feels he needs to take things slowly and cherish the way she longs to be cherished with love and affection. He wants her to remember this night to be the most memorable and unforgettable one she has ever experienced.

"Well, that's a start." Jim's pleased to see John is finally taking the bull by the horns and ready to accept he has to let his heart and mind do the thinking for him especially when it comes to making sure his first time with Kayleigh is 'a night they'll never ever forget'.

"A start? More like a second chance with her. She spent the night at mine on Monday night didn't she?. The two of us shared a dance with each other and then when the moment came, we were inches away from kissing and then the most stupid thing of all happened."

"Why? What did happen?"

"She fell asleep in my arms!" John held his head in his hands.

"Oh no! how embarrassing mate." Jim laughs, with tears rolling down both his cheeks. He's behaving like a bit of a numpty and making things a little awkward for John, who is now feeling sheepish and regretting the fact Jim probably wasn't the best person to discuss the highs and lows of his love life with.

"We made up for it on Tuesday morning. I did her breakfast in bed..." John begins "Which she loved. Anyway, before we both got the chance to tuck into breakfast together. She rewarded me with a kiss for the effort I went to and I kissed her back. Which resulted in things getting passionate between us ." John doesn't go as far as telling Jim how Kayleigh was a lovely and tender kisser. His mind wanders off noticeably as he fondly daydreams of the exact moment of what led to his kiss with Kayleigh and how delightful it felt to feel her lips on his.

"John? Hello, earth to John! John, Kayleigh's blowing kisses at you! Look she's standing right there!" Jim nods towards John's side of the car.

John snaps out of his daydream in comic fashion. "What? Where? He ends up squashing his nose against the window as he goes to investigate, his eyes somewhat blurry. He leaves a temporary mark on the window as he sits back in his seat, nursing his 'now' sore nose. "Why did you have to do that for? I was having a nice dream then!"

"Let me guess you were daydreaming about how Kayleigh might look like in Madonna's Vogue costumes" Jim knows his cock-a-hoop friend far too well enough to know that whatever John said to deny this, it wouldn't be enough to pull the wool over his eyes. To cut a long story, John was a shit liar and his uncomfortable body language would always give the game away every time he became tongue-tied over some bird he caught his eye.

"You're so wrong Jim" John howls with laughter. His mood feels lightens thanks to Jim's incorrect guess. Jim can't say he's entirely impressed to find himself being laughed at by his best friend.

"So which street is?" Jim asks. They're virtually only a few streets away from Mandy's house and Jim's taking a turn into one of the long streets. John's hand covering the majority of the right side of his nose.

"Take a left down this road here, it's on your left-hand side, halfway down and should be a green gazebo outside in the front." John directs Jim, telling which road drive through and where exactly he should search for Kayleigh's sister's house. The house was rather easy to see from a mile away, what with Steve now having LED lights placed around his precious gazebo and motorbike and Mandy's shiny blue Peugeot parked on the driveway.

Early Autumn was clearly leaving its mark, as the street was scattered with brown crispy leaves and there was no sign of children playing football in the street.

"Green gazebo?" Jim asks out of curiosity.

"Don't ask." John's keeping his lips sealed regarding the gazebo.

"Oh Aye. Does Mandy's fella like bikes or something, that he works on?" John knows he needn't bother confirming Jim's question.

They finally pull up outside the house, where Kayleigh's waiting for them. Her 'wild hair' appearance isn't what John had expected to see her like that evening. His first thoughts were, she's either had a change of heart and decided to go as Carol Decker instead to Elsie's party or she's used the hair dryer or hair shampoo in a huge rush and the result of this, has made her look like she'd been dragged through the hedges of someone neighbour's garden backwards.

"Kayleigh, what's happened to your hair?" John looks up at her with a shocked expression.

"Never mind my hair, what's happened to your nose?" Kayleigh asks looking concerned as she takes a closer look at the swelling on John's nose. She quickly gets into the car, bowing her head down as she climbs onto the back passenger seat. She knows she can't be seen looking like a right mess. Still, there were positives about her retro look, her clothes thankfully weren't a mess and her mascara wasn't running down her cheeks. She hoped her Madonna outfit would do the trick, in making John reserve his eyes exclusively for her for the remainder of the evening.

"What are the pair of you like eh? A bloody match made in heaven." Jim cuts into their conversation. John and Kayleigh exchanged a look with each other, they knew Jim was 1 million per cent right.

"Kayleigh, this is Jim. Jim, this is Kayleigh." John introduced them. Kayleigh does a shy, little wave at Jim and in return, Jim smiles back at her.

"Nice to meet you at last Kayleigh. John says you're a fan of our music."

"Yeah, I am. John says I keep pronouncing the band name wrong. I'm terrible at remembering names. I called my sister's first boyfriend Jackie when his name was Jack. She thought I was joking but I wasn't, I honestly genuinely forgot his name. I went red-faced afterwards"

"Easy mistake to make." Jim completely understands what she means. It isn't the first time someone admitted getting the 'Compendium' name wrong. The band name was originally John's idea and he had simply chosen to go along with it.

"Anyway John, how come you hurt your nose?" Kayleigh presses him on the matter of why his nose was now the size of a banana.

"Ah, that was my fault. You see me and him were talking and then the next minute, here he is away with the fairies." Jim starts to explain what happened.

"What the daft idiot's trying to say, Kayleigh, he tried to wake up by saying we'd already got here and you were blowing kisses at me. Ended up squashing my nose against the window." John completes Jim's answer for him before he accidentally says something inappropriate to offend her.

"Would you like me to kiss it better?" Kayleigh asks. She gives a saucy wink which makes John blush.

"Not right now. Maybe later if you want." John hints. For a few minutes, he forgets the fact that Jim's sitting right next to him and so continues the flirtatious conversation he's having with Kayleigh. "What do you reckon, after the party? When we get to spend some alone time together." John loves how Kayleigh has managed to bring the best out from within him. She really had turned his world to colour, turned off the black and white, changed his life and opened his eyes to what love really means for two people.

Jim smiles to himself as he watches John and Kayleigh openly flirt with each other and them not seeming to care he was pulling "Go on John", "Go on Kayleigh" faces.

"Get a room you two." Reality soon hit the smitten couple, after Jim urged them to take this talk elsewhere.

"Don't be such a dickhead Jim!" John and Kayleigh both said simultaneously, much to the other's surprise and Jim's amusement. Of course, they both realised he was right. They were doing exactly the same thing, skipping and dodging their way around the inevitable. Kayleigh was doing her best to respect John's wish of taking their relationship slowly and putting her own wish of having a baby with the man she loves aside, ready to be discussed in the near future. She thought John would make a wonderful father.

"What? I'm only saying." Jim pleads his reasons for behaving frankly and honest and stating the obvious of John and Kayleigh's blossoming relationship.

"Is he always like this?" Kayleigh asks.

"Oh, all the time. I think he's just jealous because he's single."

"Me jealous? Look who's being the dickhead now."

"Who you calling a dickhead? You arseclown."

Kayleigh is helpless with laughter with tears rolling down her cheeks. Keeping a straight face was certainly one of her weaknesses. She thought John and Jim were behaving like bickering brothers or a stand-up act worthy of auditioning for Britain's Got Talent.

"Oh, shit me mascara" She felt her mascara running down her cheeks in little black streams. She panicked as soon as she saw for herself in her pocket mirror how bad the runny mascara looked on her cheeks.

"Sorry, Kayleigh." John immediately apologises. He knows he doesn't have to let her know that he feels terrible for making her look like one of the female characters off Coronation Street but he says it anyway, making sure he's got this awkward feeling off his chest.

"John, there's really no need to apologise, it's a cheap mascara. I'll wipe it off when we get to the venue."

"Oh, okay. Just don't get chatting with Pamela or Diane when you're getting it off in the ladies. You know what those two are like. It'll be so what's going on with you and Mr Redmond? Have you two been going at it like rabbits yet? So what positions does he like in bed?" John puts a Manc accent, impersonating the two workers who were from Manchester.

"John! What's come over you?" Never mind what had surprisingly come over John. What had come over her? She was giggling away at John's impersonations of Pamela and Diane. Kayleigh felt terrible for laughing.

"I've had it up to here with those two. Followed me around they did this afternoon at work, They might as well have 'Spies R Us' in capital letters plastered on their uniforms." John reveals his frustration of being denied some peace and quiet hours earlier at work.

"I think they've both got their eye on taking Elsie's Gossip Queen crown," Kayleigh suggests. She hadn't said a word to her colleagues all day about her and John. It looked as though, in desperation they'd resorted to Plan B and chosen to keep their eyes peeled on John's every movement in and around the store, as well as the staff room and head office.

"So you two are the talk of the shop. You must be delighted that you are Kayleigh." Jim asks. He isn't surprised to hear the two of them are a hot topic of conversation amongst their work colleagues.

"I thought I was but me and John never really get much chance of seeing each other while we're working during our shifts. Plus his dickwad boss can't stand me. Thinks I'm playing John like a fucking fiddle."

"Hey, I've sorted it with him. He's not splitting us up. If he tries to then, he's gonna wish he hadn't meddled with our relationship." John understands and completely feels her disappointment. He places his hand across hers and reassures if Dave dares to go back on his promise, he'll be personally seeing to it that Dave and Rachel's fling becomes public knowledge.

"About time you stood up to him, John. I've heard nothing but shit about this Dave Twathead, Kayleigh." Jim is glad to see John deciding to take a stand against his grumpy and arrogant boss.

Kayleigh laughs slightly after listening to Jim describe Dave as a 'Twathead'. John nods his head, approving of this new nickname for Dave. "Twathead. wish I'd thought of that one." John smiles to himself, in the knowledge of knowing her too well enough, to know it would be a piece of cake for her, coming up with a 100 rude different nicknames for Dave, compared to Jim's one nickname.

They finally arrive at the Blue Heaven venue just after 8:15pm, they were 45 minutes late.

"So do you want me to pick you two up or do you have other alternatives for getting home. If you know what I mean, eh eh." Jim grins. He clearly enjoys winding John up persistently. Jim can be a proper wind-up merchant and jack-the-lad at times but then again he had John's best interests at heart.

"We haven't decided yet Jim but if you're in the area. We'll let you know to come and pick us up all right." John responds. He gives Jim the thumbs up and then seeing as he's the first to get out of the car, he then helps Kayleigh get out of her side of the car while he's standing on the edge of the pavement. He almost loses his footing, the more he pulls Kayleigh towards him and the more he forgets about the annoying wedges on his bloody boots.

"Good luck with trying to walk him onto the dancefloor Kayleigh," Jim tells her before he says his goodnight to them both and then drives away.

"Oh my god John." Kayleigh eventually sees what Jim meant as she glances down at them. She gasps in shock. Frig-a-dig, his toes must be crushed inside, she wonders. She guides him over to the smokers corner at the side of the building. "Looks like I'm going to have my hands full with you and making sure Elsie's not shagging some helpless partygoer as revenge on her husband."

"Do you have to keep an eye on her. I'd rather spend the evening with you. Holding you in my arms and sweeping you off your feet with a song."

"Awww, John." She places her hand on her chest, she's genuinely touched however it isn't enough to change her mind. "Sorry but she's going to be sitting with us all evening at least until her sister takes her home."

"She's got a sister? She never mentioned a sister before."

"Yeah, she lives in Dublin. She's here for two weeks, looking after her and the kids."

"Bet they're the spitting image of one another."

"They're twins actually." She drops the bombshell, John hadn't expected to hear.

"What? You're joking!" John reacts to Kayleigh's revelation, by gulping nervously.

"Actually I'm not." Kayleigh relishes the current look on John's face. She decides not to tell John straight away that Siobhan, Elsie's younger sister is a happily married woman with three children.

"Oh, Christ that's all I need! Another feisty Irish woman lusting after me." John knows he's facing a rather uncomfortable evening, one which he had hoped to avoid. He's hopeful this evening will go in his favour, fingers crossed. Although they hadn't behaved affectionately, John thought they should make their relationship official to everyone, in case someone at the party fancied their chances with him, thanks to his flamboyant, rebellious costume.

"Come on let's get us both indoors here. Need to get that mascara off my face and brush my hair."

"Why, how long you gonna be?" John starts to hyperventilate. This is what he warned her in the car and at lunchtime, the likes of Diane, Pamela Off Non-Foods and even Joyce Cheung were almost certain to form their own version of Charlies Angels during the party, maybe even while he's sat there on his backside on the bench outside.

"Oh, I don't know. 30 or 40 minutes maybe..." Kayleigh answers.

"Maybe!" This wasn't the best of starts to the evening's schedule. Kayleigh popping off to the ladies and spending a considerable amount of time, wiping the mascara off, applying her lipstick and redoing her hairstyle was bound to take longer than she actually predicted. John went to sit down on the bench and now as he watches her disappear into the ladies, he realises he was going to need to fend off a hell of a lot of female admirers he may encounter while he was waiting patiently outside the toilets.

Every guest had made the effort of turning up to the party dressed as their favourite singer. There were two groups of Freddie Mercury partygoers and three girls from clothing, Laura, Janet and Becky dressed as Bananarama. From the look of things, no one else had shown up at the party dressed as Adam Ant and Madonna. Kayleigh will be thrilled when John tells her.

John checks his watch and sees that she's taken 20 minutes in the ladies. He wonders whether he should go and rescue her or lure her out with a suggestion that Ted 2 had been invited.

Rachel comes over to say 'Hi' to John. He can't really tell from looking at her, which singer she's dressed as. "Hello, Mr Redmond. Who've you come as tonight?"

"Evening Rachel. Adam Ant." John was pleased to see a familiar face. He doesn't want to talk to her for long, as he remembers why Kayleigh thinks her Geordie colleague is out to get her claws into the first man she sets her eyes on.

"Who's he?" Rachel looks clueless.

"Adam Ant, Prince Charming. Goody Two Shoes" John further explains but it doesn't click with Rachel which singer he was trying to describe.

"Nah I've never heard of him. Is Kayleigh with you tonight?" She asks and looks round to see where Kayleigh could be in the background amongst the rest of the guests.

"Yeah, she's in the ladies. She won't be long." John looks behind him at the door of the ladies.

"I was gonna ask would you fancy buying me a drink." Rachel was clearly making an effort of flirting with John, which made him feel uncomfortable. He doesn't want the evening to turn into a wrestling match between Kayleigh and Rachel, as they fought over him.

"Not tonight Rachel, sorry." John lets her down gently. Rachel walks off in a huff, heading to the main bar, seeking her next 'buy me a drink' bloke. Kayleigh finally rejoins him 5 minutes later. He relaxes well once he sees her again, looking a million dollars better and happy to see him sitting there.

"Well, I'm all freshened up. My lady moment's sorted and my hair doesn't look it's been electrocuted by Our Mandy's dodgy hair dryer. So Mr Redmond, would you care to escort me into the bar?"

"Lady moment? I'd rather not ask thank you very much." John squirms. The look he pulls, makes Kayleigh giggle. "Of course I will escort you, Miss Kitson, right this way." He obliges. She links arms with him as they begin the short distant walk towards the bar area.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are Welcome**


	4. Chapter 4

**Car Share: The Recipe of Love**

 **Chapter 4**

Cath Hilton was getting served at the bar by a handsome young man wearing a 'Freddie says Relax' t-shirt, as John and Kayleigh, we're walking towards it. She's come to the party dressed as Dolly Parton from her 9-5 music video. Cath is a brunette but just for tonight, she was wearing Dolly's blond wig.

"Well if it isn't Romeo and Juliet," Cath says on greeting them. They weren't fooling anyone with their game faces. She's pleased to see John and Kayleigh have finally got their act together and become an item. She can't help but smile, knowing she was responsible in a way for getting these two unlucky in love colleagues together.

"All right, Cath keep your voice down will ya." Even though the music was relatively loud in the room with Spandau Ballet's Chant No.1(Don't Need This Pressure On) playing in the background, John tries to gesture with his finger for her not to repeat what she's just said. o

"John, Dave told me this morning after our morning meeting. Said he wasn't happy that you've fallen under Kayleigh's spell. I told him he was talking bollocks as usual and that he should try and be happy that you've now got a glorious reason to smile again. Honestly, that man doesn't know the definition of happiness until it smacks him in that Scottish gob of his."

Kayleigh laughs at Cath's comment as does John. Kayleigh wonders how Cath has had the patience to work with such a chauvinist person like Dave over the last few years. She does like Cath and is happy that the HR woman is giving her and John her blessing.

"What did he have to say to that?" John asks.

"Oh you know Dave, he justs walks off in a bloody huff when no one agrees with him on a matter. Never has a decent thing to say about anyone other than himself. Thank goodness no one invited him or that he hasn't invited himself to Elsie's birthday party tonight." He was unpopular with a lot of the workers at the store. Cath was relieved to be letting her hair down for the evening after a stressful day of working alongside her Scottish colleague.

"Typical selfish man!" Kayleigh says out loud as the music fades and everyone's heads turn towards where she and John are currently standing. Kayleigh's conscience gets the better as she freezes on the spot, unsure of what to say with all eyes being focused on her. She must have given everyone the wrong impression of who she was actually describing. They probably thought her and John were having a lovers tiff.

"Well, that's one way to announce you've arrived at the party." John suddenly finds the funny side of her slip of the tongue. John is utterly helpless with laughter, tears were rolling down his cheeks thick and fast.

"I'll leave you two alone shall I. Enjoy your evening." Cath smiles as she grabs her drink and wanders away, to join the rest of the HR department team, who were assembled at two tables nearby.

"Oh, John please don't look at me. I feel ashamed. And here was me thinking we'd be spending a quiet night together." Kayleigh can't look him in the eye at that exact moment because she knows the more she looks at him the more he'll set her off like a laughing hyena. She turned her head away from him, so she can gather her thoughts and calm down. The glow from her cheeks was reminiscent of softly glowing old-fashioned Christmas tree lights.

"A quiet evening?" John says while he composes himself and wipes the tears away from his cheeks with his thumb. "It won't be for us, thanks to us getting stuck with Elsie and her sister all evening." John reminds her. The thought of this he dreads very much.

"Oh, John. What I have told you about worrying. I'm sure Elsie will get lucky and latch onto one of the George Michaels over there." Kayleigh directs his attention to a George Michael lookalike trio who were on the look themselves for their ideal man or woman to get lucky with.

"Christ it's like an episode of Blind Date unfolding in front of your eyes. Look at them, there's Number 1, Number 2 and Number 3" John jokes as he feels his confidence resurfacing during this perfect moment.

"Number 1 what's your name and where do ya come from?" Kayleigh does her Cilla Black impression which almost causes John to fall off his chair while he was in stitches because of her 10/10 impression. Luckily he's able to prevent himself from falling off the chair spectacularly, by catching the heel of his boots onto the chair's metal legs, which enabled him to remain seated.

The barman behind the bar hadn't the slightest clue as to what or why they were laughing their heads off about. John could barely think let alone speak, so he left the task of ordering the drinks for Kayleigh to complete.

"Number 2 I'll have a...oops I'm still doing my Cilla voice...right, right normal voice. I'll have a Rum and Coke and...Adam Ant here will have a Martini, shaken not stirred." Kayleigh couldn't keep a straight face again for the third time that evening, she was certainly on quite the roll.

"Coming right up, Miss." The barman responds and begins to pour out their drinks. The lad serving her at the bar must be at least 21 or 22 years old.

"That's what I love about you Kayleigh Kitson, you never fail to amaze me and you never fail to make me almost piss myself laughing," John speaks from the heart, with such honesty as well as reaffirming his love for her.

"Aww John." Kayleigh closes the gap between them. She wants to kiss him so badly but the fact they were stuck in a room full of watchful eyes was giving her a pause for thought. She whispers instead. "Give it 45 minutes for everyone to head into the next room then we'll have this room to ourselves."

"Oh Aye, so you can have your wicked way with me." John grins. He's handed his drink by the barman and Kayleigh receives her as well.

"Hangfire. No, so we can think of how we're getting out of here. Look I know I said I wanted to make sure Elsie doesn't try and shag the next bloke she sees but I wanted tonight to be out of us and us enjoying each other's company." Kayleigh was letting her heart rule over her mind. She reflects on Tuesday morning, the first-rate manner in which John had served her 'Breakfast in Bed'. There was no end to this thoughtful and amazing man's talent - being a quiz genius, singing in a band, writing/singing a song for her and now cooking her a romantic meal/serving breakfast in bed.

"Oh, so that's what you meant. Hope you think of something fast because I know I don't want to find myself having to explain to some people who Adam Ant is. Even Rachel hadn't a clue who he was." John accidentally lets slip he had spoken to Rachel.

"Rachel's here?" Kayleigh face drop at the mention of Rachel's name. She glances around the large compacity of the room to see where the blond-haired Geordie minx was lurking. Probably hanging around some poor bloke who was about to have his evening ruined by her.

"Yeah came over to me while you were in the ladies. Oh, don't worry I soon sent her on her way once I knew what her game was this evening. Bloody cheek of her, asking me to buy her a drink!" John reveals his surprise and that he was unimpressed by her attempts to chat her up on the sly, soon after he mentioned Kayleigh was in the ladies.

"Good. Serves her right for getting her hopes up. Glad you told her where to go." Kayleigh is pleased that John had shown his loyalty towards her by not giving Rachel what she clearly wanted and basically telling the Geordie he wasn't made of money.

"Didn't have a chance, did I? She swanned off soon as I said 'no' to her. Glad I never went for those drinks with her after all." John realises that Kayleigh was right about Rachel. She behaved like butter wouldn't melt at work but however, after working hours and even outside work, she behaved outrageously around her colleagues especially Dave Thompson of all people.

"You told me you did. Are you telling me you didn't go for drinks with her?" Kayleigh remembers, he told he had gone for drinks with Rachel but sneaked out of the pub before her friends started asking her and him if they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Well her three friends did look like the type of friends, who couldn't tell the difference between friend and boyfriend/girlfriend.

"Well I did turn up at the pub but she was flirting with the two fella playing snooker, wasn't she. She kept whispering sweet nothings in their ears. So I bought myself a drink and I was off soon as I finished it before she spotted me."

"You made the right choice Jonathan. I'm proud of you. My hero." While everyone soon became glued to watching Rick and Donna singing Especially For You out of tune on the karaoke, Kayleigh leaned in and gave John a warm, soft cuddle. She was only meant to cuddle him for under 10 seconds, so they could avoid not being witnessed sharing an intimate moment. She showed no shame in making it last at least another 45 seconds. She pulls away. She's utterly satisfied having enjoyed the opportunity of wrapping her arms around the man she loves.

"Do you think they anyone noticed our cuddle?" John asks, whispering quietly.

"You're joking. Everyone's too busy glued to what Rick and Donna might do next. Knowing them they'll start belting out Let's Make Love Tonight while flaunting their greatest sex moves or positions on stage." Kayleigh doesn't want to imagine how those two will pull off a performance like this.

"One way to make this evening unbearable." John too, would rather not imagine what sex moves Rick will show off.

 **xxx**

The most surprising revelation of the evening was Kayleigh's claim of not being in the mood to get herself fluffy drunk. John chuckles thoughtfully, he can tell straight away that she wants to keep a clear head and she doesn't want to want her breath stinking like a rat's piss when she tries to kiss him.

She links her fingers with his and tugs on his hand, leading him out of the room. The boots were still causing a problem for him, still making his feet wobble like jelly, as he tried to keep up with Kayleigh.

"Steady on will ya Kayleigh. I'm not Usain Bolt in these boots you know." John jokes, as they enter the next room, where the awesome dance floor area was based within the large hall room. John was a little giddy as soon as he saw the multi-coloured lights on the floor. It was a like trip down memory lane, having watched Saturday Night Fever at least 125 times and dreaming of strutting his stuff on the dance floor just like Tony Manero does in the movie.

"Oh, moan-schmoan we're here now." She lets go of his hand and steps back, smirking. She has a brilliant thought and is hopeful of him having a thought rather similar to hers. "So, come on then Jonathan show me whatcha got" Kayleigh encourages him to show her what he's made of when it comes to showing your best dance moves.

"I'll do my best but I'm warning ya Kayleigh. I ain't got the moves to rival the professional dancers off Strictly," John shouts on the top of his voice while the DJ's busy playing music loudly. The two of them can just about manage to hear each other.

Lionel Richie's All Night Long is the next song to be played and the likes of Big Diane and Alexa are swaying and miming along to the song's lyrics. Meanwhile, John doesn't look remotely interested in following in their footsteps, no he's busy giving Kayleigh a performance she'll never forget. A performance which is far less cringeworthy than the one Rick and Donna had given on stage in front of their colleagues around 15 minutes earlier. John's boots actually play a supporting role for him for once as he struts around the dancefloor, looking he owned the floor, wiggling his bum for her eyes only. A crowd of guests gather round, standing behind Kayleigh, cheering John on as much as possible. He's quite the dancer.

People dancing all in the street  
See the rhythm all in their feet  
Life is good, wild and sweet  
Let the music play on  
Feel it in your heart and feel it in your soul  
Let the music take control, we going to  
Parti', liming, fiesta, forever  
Come on and sing my song

"So much for you saying you're not a good dancer John," Kayleigh shouts and laughs. She's really blown away from seeing the old-school arm movements and his perfect bum wiggling away. People start gathering behind Kayleigh, cheering John on and try to get Kayleigh to dance with John, who feels he's having the best time of his life and not caring which certain group of people were being right nosy buggers.

"Come on then!"

"What?"

"Come and dance with me. If you think you're a better dancer than me. Let's see your moves." John was daring her to follow in his footsteps but she was being reluctant, holding herself back and not wanting to embarrass herself. The backdrop of their feel-good situation was beginning to turn into that very famous scene from Dirty Dancing. He was Johnny and she was Baby, John is even waggling his finger and holding out his hand to her, for her to grab onto.

"No John. I can't. Knowing me I'll trip over or I'll trip you over. Our Mandy says I dance like a chicken on acid." Kayleigh admits that her complete style of dancing isn't 'So You Think You Can Dance?' material.

"Oh right. Well, I'm still taking no for an answer. Come on lady. Let's give these a lot the performance they'll never forget." John wouldn't take no for an answer. The more she refused, the more he was making it his ultimate mission to give her a few tips on getting her footwork just right. Christ, she was as bad as him in the 'Bollocks to this, I'll pretend I've got a dicky stomach or I've got a sore ankle until they all get bored with my excuses and leave me alone.'

John grabs her hand and pulls her to him. Kaylegh shrieks. "Jonathan Redmond, what the hell are you doing?" I said I can't. My dancing's shit." Kayleigh tries to let go of his hand but he isn't letting go. She knows she's got no choice but to see where this dancing takes them.

"Well we'll see about that, won't we." John grins. He can see the look of discomfort on her face slowly starting to fade away. He pulls her in closer, so he can whisper a few words of encouragement. "I know your heart's in it, Kayleigh. Just follow my lead. Look I promise I won't let go of your hand." His words strike a chord as the next song plays which is Love is in the Air by John Paul Young.

Love is in the air, everywhere I look around  
Love is in the air, every sight and every sound  
And I don't know if I'm being foolish  
Don't know if I'm being wise  
But it's something that I must believe in  
And it's there when I look in your eyes

She nods and smiles but doesn't without say a word. John assumes she's finally coming round to the idea of this and leads her to the centre of the dancefloor. "Follow me, Kayleigh. One hand on my shoulder here and one hand holding my left hand"

"Ooh get you, Len Goodman." Were the only words she could say while they were slow dancing to the song.

Love is in the air, in the whisper of the tree  
Love is in the air, in the thunder of the sea  
And I don't know if I'm just dreaming  
Don't know if I feel safe  
But it's something that I must believe in  
And it's there when you call out my name

As well as learning the ins and outs of dancing, it was turning into quite a romantic moment for John and Kayleigh while they maintained eye contact with each other. The pair were soon swaying and pivoting perfectly as if they had been professional dancing for 10 years. Their footwork was immaculate. Kayleigh was learning at an incredibly fast pace by the minute much to her and John's surprise. She was beginning to realise she had no actual reason to feel nervous and to think Mandy was right about her style of dancing. She was a natural at heart. She was letting her hair down, enjoying this perfect moment and having the night of her life.

Love is in the air  
Love is in the air  
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Love is in the air, in the rising of the sun  
Love is in the air, when the day is nearly done  
And I don't know if you're illusion  
Don't know if I see truth  
But you're something that I must believe in  
And you're there when I reach out for you

"See told ya. You know your problem, Kayleigh Kitson. You never know you're good at dancing or singing until you give it a try. Just like Fran in Strictly Ballroom." John knows the film like the back of his hand.

"Hang on a minute, you've never watched Dirty Dancing but you've watched Strictly Ballroom. You surprise me, John Redmond" Kayleigh marvels at John's surprising love and knowledge of ballroom dancing. She caresses his cheek, smiling fondly at him as he lowered her in his arms.

"Aye that I do." John grins cheekily.

"You do realise everyone's watching us." Kayleigh glances over her shoulder and sees the likes of Elsie, her sister, Pamela Off Non-Foods, Joyce Cheung and Trevor watching what she and John do next. Rachel was there too. She was the only person there, who clearly wasn't happy for the two of them. She fancied John well before he got paired up with Kayleigh for the store's Car Sharing scheme. She found him to be one of the most loveliest and kindhearted members of staff. Now and then, John would make her laugh with a naughty joke about Joyce Cheung 'S' shaped vagina. She was hoping they weren't more than friends.

"Yeah, like I said, let this lot watch us. I don't care. Me and you, you see we've nothing to hide anymore." John tells her. He doesn't care which member of staff was watching. All he cared about was holding her close in his arms and romantically sweeping her off her feet. She deserves her own Hollywood style Happy Ending.

"Wait. Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Kayleigh gasps. It slowly dawns on her that John has come to the rightful conclusion, the time had come for them to clear up the rumours once and for all. Confirming their relationship status and making sure the gossiping about them would finally be put to bed.

"Why do you want me to say it first?" John asks. He pretends that he's gone and changed his mind and is somehow suggesting she be the one to tell him right in front of the gathering of well-known, everyday faces from work, who were stood at the side of them.

"No...no..no you say it before I say it all wrong." Kayleigh couldn't contain her excitement any longer, what with what John was on the verge of revealing her in front of their fellow colleagues. He pulls her up and wraps his arm around her waist. He stares lovingly into her eyes.

"You've changed me and my life forever. You're the missing jigsaw that I've been looking for..." John knows he hasn't quite prepared his words as well as he thought.

Kayleigh cuts him off because he's waffling on far too much. "Yeah, all right John. I get what you mean. Get to more the point will ya. I can't stand up this way this in these shoes all night." She can't resist a bit of a giggle.

"Well if you ask nicely." John hints.

"Just bloody tell her yourself, Mr Redmond. My knees are shat from standing here watching yous two!" Elsie was the only one within the group to speak up.

John takes the hint straight away and turns his attention back to Kayleigh. He tells her what she wants to hear from him. "Kayleigh Kitson I know I never always tell you this often but I'm crazy about you. I love you so much, Kayleigh. I want you and me to be together as a couple and I want to do all the things you love doing." At long last John gets the words off his chest and earns himself a round of applause. Everyone is cheering them on to seal their feelings with a kiss.

Rachel's face drops in the background. She's visibly upset as tears roll down her cheeks. She disappears away from everyone. The man she loves is well and truly off the market. Perhaps going back to Dave might soften this blow and heartbreak for her. She knows she probably should have accepted a while ago that it was only ever going to be unrequited love on her behalf. Mr Redmond only ever saw her as a friend and nothing else.

Kayleigh blushes, the turn of events has become a bit too much for her, finding herself under the spotlight. She knows John loves her but she feels this is still a huge step they're taken together, confirming their feelings and relationship in front of a packed crowd of people.

"Oh, John. I don't know what to say." Kayleigh can't quite look him in the eye. She's wearing the biggest grin, she's ever worn on her face, while she's busy admiring and daydreaming about those rosy and beautiful lips of his.

"Don't say another word. Why don't we just stand here and kiss until everyone finally leaves all alone? It's written all over your face." John teases her. He can tell she's considering snogging his face off. John often had a brilliant gift for always being able to guess whatever thoughts and desires she had lingering within that carefree and beautiful mind of hers.

"How did you work that out?" She asks.

"Your eye's twitching plus you can't stop looking at my lips." John answers. Some of their younger colleagues become impatient and trail away, presumably back to the bar next door or to get some fresh air. While Elsie, her sister and Pamela remain where they are.

"Oh, I thought it was a baby fly, tickling my eyelashes or something. Thanks for letting me know Sherlock" As ever Kayleigh said something typically Kayleigh-like, she was having another of her not-all-together-with-it moments, which John had grown to adore as well as find them funny.

Kayleigh is the first to make a move. She stretches her chin upwards as John quickly follows her lead, by gently caresses her right cheek with his hand before dipping his head down to kiss her fervent lips. Elsie does an excited clap as she watches her friend and Mr Redmond sharing such a sweet and lovely kiss. She should have seen it coming, seeing as Kayleigh had sort of dropped the hint earlier in the day at work, telling her not to make a pass at John because he wouldn't want to be caught in the middle between her and her cheating husband. She was over the moon for the pair as was Pamela who couldn't help but wonder how long the two had been keeping their relationship a secret.

The kisses were heartfelt and as cute as any kiss could be between a couple who thought the world of/were very much in love with each other. Kayleigh trails her hands through John's hair as he deepens their kiss. John was an incredible kisser. Every bloke she snogged in the past had always wanted the same thing, desperately wanting to get her into bed with them, so they could cop a feel of her bum and breasts but with John, she finds he's completely different from these blokes, he is caring and thoughtful and he obviously doesn't want to rush her straight into one or two things she might later regret.

"Get a room yous two!" Siobhan shouts rather embarrassingly. She earns a nudge in the shoulder from her older sister.

John and Kayleigh pull away laughing after seeing what Elsie did to her sister from the corner of their eyes. "Elsie I'm sorry I didn't come and find you. I was a bit busy...as you can probably tell." Kayleigh was clearly giddy from snogging John's face off in front of everybody.

"Don't apologise, Kayleigh. Just go and ride him as if he were your winning Grand National horse." Elsie further encourages her.

"Elsie I am here you know." John isn't impressed by her rudely describing as him a horse. Still, he and Kayleigh were pleased to see normal service was slowly resuming with her again. The store's resident gossiper and feisty Irish lady appeared to have been enjoying her birthday '1980's throwback' party all night long. She and Siobhan were dressed as Agnetha and Anni-Frid from ABBA.

"So you're the famous Mr Redmond, my sister thought used to be gay until he and her friend became the talk of the shop." Siobhan is curious to learn more about him as an unlikely but lucky Romeo.

"Not you an all," John says, shaking his head as he looks over at Elsie. "Why did everyone think I was a big gay mute? Because I danced to some disco classics ." The very thought of that previous occasion being brought up in a conversation made John cringe. His dancing had been atrocious and shit that night, seeing as he had a lot on his mind at home and at work.

"Well, you're not now, are you? You're Kayleigh's very sexy bow...beau..." Elsie couldn't pronounce the word properly as she was revelling in making the store's Assistant Manager blush just that a little bit more.

Kayleigh finally acted on his behalf, coming to his rescue. "Me and John best be making tracks. John's got some paperwork to catch up on first in the morning. Enjoy the rest of your night Elsie. Nice to meet you, Siobhan." Kayleigh did enjoy some of her chats with Elsie but for the love of god, the woman had the gift of the gab, a rather annoying gift to put it that way.

"Are we?" John asks Kayleigh. He soon picks up on her 'we've got to get ourselves out of here before Elsie asks if she could get a lift with us.' look. "Oh right yes. Dave's been on at for me ages about it. You know what he's like 'I need a 110 per cent from you on this' bloody bastard doesn't think of filling the paperwork himself while he's sat at his arse." John gave a pretty convincing answer, enough to convince a bored Elsie he couldn't drop the thought of his work priorities even during a night out.

"Well, you twos lovebirds had better make two become one then." Elsie smiles knowingly and winks, after she references the famous Spice Girls hit single . She wasn't going to stand in their way any more, so she frees the path for John and Kayleigh to follow, to help them sneak out of the club unnoticed.

"Night Elsie. We'll have a catch up in work tomorrow." Kayleigh shouts over her shoulder to Elsie.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it Kayleigh. Some good news to cheer me up at last. I want to know every detail, Kayleigh. Who did what to who? Who was the screamer?" Elsie being Elsie couldn't resist asking for details for when they next share a catchup.

"For Fuck's sake." John mouths quietly to himself. Elsie the Queen of Gossip was back in business much to the annoyance of John, who at that moment, felt he would rather be someplace else than listening to Elsie requesting intimate details about his relationship with Kayleigh. The woman had no shame by poking her nose in where most certainly wasn't required. Her sister was no different either.

Eventually, with luck on their side, he and Kayleigh managed to get themselves out of the building. At the side of the building, young Gareth was busy enjoying a repeat performance with Jenny after their first one that happened on the night of the previous staff do a few weeks earlier. Apparently, they were courting themselves now but nobody had given him a pat on the back for finally bagging himself a girlfriend.

"Thank god we're free. I thought she wouldn't stop talking John." Kayleigh is relieved.

"I know. The woman is sex mad. Look I know, she's got her own problems but she's no right to ask for juicy details about everybody's love life " John isn't happy that Elsie is sniffing around for new

"Yeah sorry about that. I couldn't think of what else to tell her. She's in my face all the time and my mind goes blank. The only thing I can tell is about us, unfortunately. She said she's heard enough about Rick and his dick pictures that Donna keeps banging on about."

"Urghh." John shudders at the thought of what they must look like before quickly refocusing on the whole point of what tonight was going to be all about "All I want is to spend the night with me insanely gorgeous and amazing girlfriend and make this night so memorable for me and her. Please don't go and tell her yet about how special tonight became for us."

"I won't, I promise. I'll fob her off." Kayleigh hopes her fobbing off might do the trick in putting Elsie off the scent regarding what happens between her and John. "So anyway, I'm insanely gorgeous and amazing am I?" She asks. She loves that he's got like 1000 words to describe how utterly perfect and ravishingly beautiful she is to him.

"Of course you are. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. My heart feels like in the right place, where it belongs." John is ecstatic as he takes her hand. This feels oh so real. Knowing they were on the brink of taking their relationship to the next level and taking a step that will change them forever.

"Really?" Kayleigh herself is just as ecstatic and beyond thrilled as he, as she reflects on how their relationship has blossomed over the last four months since he first picked up from her childhood home to Pissgate happening to him foolishly thinking he could get away with posting a card through a letterbox in the middle of traffic and then there were the moments where she was heartbroken at the thought of not getting picked up by him and then having a restless night hours after the argument she had with John before the two of them at long last had that much-needed talk to get their feelings out in the open.

"Yes really. 11:20! We best get out of here before Elsie drags up back in the club." John realises it's getting late. The way they accompanied each other across the car park made them resemble two house burglars rather than two party guests. The club's security guards must be pissing themselves or roaring with laughter if they were having the pleasure of watching John and Kayleigh on the CCTV.

Pretty soon they were happily strolling through the nearby high street with their arms linked. Two or three late-night shoppers were giving funny looks their way.

"Oh god John please don't get us lost, will you. I couldn't bear it if we ended up having to find shelter in a pavilion or a sports centre tonight. We'd scare the life out of everyone with the racket we'd be making." Kayleigh feels nervous wandering the streets after dark. This wasn't the first time

"I'm not. There should be a taxi rank around here somewhere." John says. He is beginning to wonder whether he got his bearings slightly wrong. "Ah, there is it!" John suddenly sees three black taxis lit up on the right-hand side of the high street. He leads Kayleigh over towards where they were and before long they climb into one of the black cabs, bound for John's house. Although it was going to cost him a few bob, forking out for this fare, John didn't mind at all.

Kayleigh was coming back to his, for the night. That's all that mattered to him. They held hands on the back seat. Both smiling contentedly, viewing the passing nightlife scenery as the taxi left the high street and turns off onto the main streets of Manchester. They

"Have you text your Mandy yet? To let you're staying over at mine." John doesn't want her landing him in trouble with her sister, giving her the wrong impression that he's got some kind of sex addiction and that he's willingly taking advantage of Kayleigh. John gets the feeling, he's going to be facing a strong grilling from the younger Kitson sister as soon as he meets her.

"Yeah, I did, at the bar. Said I was staying over at a friend's house. Somehow I doubt she'll believe me. You should see her John. Oh, she's got this freaky ability. She can always tell when someone's lying to her face. Steve's tried it and always ended up in the doghouse with her." Kayleigh wasn't doing much to help reassure him that Mandy was actually a lovely and caring person, who you can very easily get along within the space of five minutes after you've met her.

"I'm not surprised. Well if she's figured out you're staying over at mine. She's gonna be happy for you isn't she? Think about it." Even Kayleigh's dreading what her sister's reaction is going to be. He does what he can to settle her nerves. John was very good with words and being there for those who needed a pep talk especially when it involved family members and now his girlfriend.

"I've mentioned you all the time to her. I think you'll definitely get her seal of approval once you meet her John." Kayleigh squeezes his hand affirmingly. John glances down at their joined hands and repays her sweet gesture by pulling her hands up and placing kisses on her fingers.

"I love you, John Redmond."

"I love you, Kayleigh Kitson."

They lean in to kiss each other. They didn't care if the taxi driver was secretly watching them.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are Welcome**


	5. Chapter 5

**Car Share: The Recipe of Love**

 **Chapter 5**

The taxi pulls up just outside Ian and Margaret's house, meaning the taxi driver had somehow confused their house for John's. John doesn't want to cause a scene and he doesn't seem to mind even if the middle-aged couple sees him getting out of the taxi with a fiery red-head woman. They'll know it's the woman from work, who he was talking to Ian about while Pauline one of their other neighbours was practically broadcasting her husband Barry's dirty laundry in the middle of the street, the other week.

"You okay, John?" Kayleigh asks. She looks surprised and slightly concerned.

"Eh?" John frowns. For a change, he's the one who isn't following a question that's been aimed at him.

"Look at you, you look as if you're desperate to bolt out of the taxi and use your toilet for a wee" Kayleigh explains properly. She doesn't recall seeing him behave this way before. Perhaps it was what he had to drink at the club or worse he was having a silent nightmare about Elsie trying to attempt the famous lift from Dirty Dancing with him.

John had been so wrapped up in reflecting on the conversation he had with Ian so much, that he hadn't realised that his feet weren't currently keeping still for him and that they were attempting to Irish tap dance their way out the taxi at any minute. "Oh sorry. Got a little bit distracted. Happening a lot recently. I don't know whether it's because I'm happier than I've ever been in my life or whether it's because I've been binge-watching too much on Ireland's Got Talent. Our Paul got me into watching them auditions on YouTube."

"Oh lordy, I thought I was the starry-eyed dreamer and reality tv obsessed one," Kaylegh says. It's all a bit of a surprise for her to learn that John's allowing his feelings to take on a whole new meaning for him. Lordy, he'll probably be fantasizing her in a naughty maid's outfit before she knows it, the next time they attend another party together. As tempting and fun as that sounded she doesn't want to let him get too preoccupied with this possible image. Kayleigh has to get his mind back on his track. They had kept the taxi driver waiting for 15 minutes.

"When you two lovebirds are ready. That'll be £8.60 please" The baldy taxi driver said, pointing to the pay meter lit in bright red neon symbols which were indicating the cost of their taxi fare.

"Oh sorry, bud. I was miles away" John suddenly feels awkward to see that he's tested the taxi driver's patience.

"You're telling me," Kayleigh says, smiling away to herself as soon as she sees how uncomfortable John looks.

John pays the fare and soon they climb out of the taxi together and start walking further along the pavement towards John's house. John helps Kayleigh get out by holding onto her hand, which he's beginning to relish the feel of holding. Her hands were so silky and smooth. He really should ask her sometime what hand cream she uses.

"Christ that taxi driver was in a right foul mood with us. Someone wants to give him a CD copy of Right Said Fred's greatest album. That should cheer the grumpy sod up good and proper." John shook his head disbelievingly, careful not to fully stress himself out about something as pointless as this.

This is what Kayleigh loved about John. He showed his emotions in a calming, self-assuring way that didn't result in him getting a punch in the face. She had a brief fantasy which involved John doing the exact Prince Charming arm moves from the music video. Elsie and Janine Cosgrove were dressed as Dames and Dave Thompson and Stink Ray were dressed as snobby Dukes.

"Hey, we're here. Hello Kayleigh!" John gently nudges her. She slowly snaps herself out of her fantasy to find that she's standing on the driveway of John's house. All it was missing now was his beloved Red Fiat. Although she stayed over at his on Monday night, seeing his lovely looking house again made it feel as if it were her second home.

 **xxx**

John put the kettle on for them in the kitchen but Kayleigh had other ideas, which were far more exhilarating and enjoyable than plonking yourself down on the settee in front of the tv to watch a late night film on BBC One while you're still in your 1980's costume.

"But I've put the kettle on for us, to have a brew." John tries to explain to Kayleigh who isn't taking no for answer as she leads up the stairs hand-in-hand, towards his bedroom. It was nearly midnight for crying out loud. She knows John can make one in the morning, that's if he fancies providing a Breakfast-in-Bed service for her again.

"Us having a kipper tie this time of night, I don't think so John." Kayleigh gasps with her hand temporarily over her mouth and stops halfway up the stairs as if some sort of a realisation had kicked in. "Oh God! Did I just say that in a Brummie accent?" She asks.

"Yes, you did" John confirms.

"I blame Steve for making me and Our Mandy watch Peaky Blinders on the telly the other night" Steve had taken it upon himself to be in charge of the tv remote that night much to Mandy's irritation.

"Well, that explains a lot." John chuckles. Honestly, she genuinely had left him extremely impressed with the odd one or two things that she was able to pick up on while watching tv shows.

Kayleigh resumed their walk up the stairs and took a glance around once she reaches the landing between two bedrooms. One of the rooms were cluttered with boxes full of plates, antiques, worn out/wrong sized clothes and old cushions. While the other, which Kayleigh could tell straight away was John's bedroom. She'd had the pleasure of sleeping in John's kingsize bed on Monday night but the next morning after she left his house with him she couldn't remember every detail of his bedroom because her eyes had become thoroughly engaged on John's pre-bed sexy look first thing that morning.

"You've got gold and blue diamond wallpaper, proper retro John." Kayleigh nods her head approvingly before she chooses to run her hand across the standout wallpaper. John wonders how many drinks she had at the club, he doesn't recall her having more than two. He remembers the second drink she drank was a very fruity orange juice.

"Bloody hell Kayleigh it's just wallpaper." John stands where he is, almost pissing himself laughing at her rather amusing and enthusiastic reaction.

"I know but I've never seen it look so good for on a bedroom wall before" Kayleigh tells John as she returns her attention back to him.

They sit down on the edge of the bed together. Kayleigh fondly watches John making attempts to take those heavy boots off his feet. God knows how his poor toes and ankles must feel like especially after walking and dancing around in them for hours. She was tempted to kiss them better but she didn't want to give John the wrong impression, that she had some sort of fetish problem, which she had forgotten to mention to him.

"Bloody boots do me head in. Never wearing these again." John says frustratingly. He manages to free his left foot from the left boot but can't seem to do the same for the right foot. He can wiggle his toes but for him, unfortunately, they're stuck. Kayleigh has a lightbulb moment.

"Have you got butter?"

"Why do you want butter for?"

"It's to help get that boot off, that's what."

"Oh right, yeah there's some in the left in the kitchen."

"Good. I'll go and get it then, shall I."

Kayleigh temporarily leaves the bedroom and heads back downstairs. While he's got the chance, John shrugs the Adam Ant jacket off from his shoulders and loosens the tight trousers from his waist. He reflects on the previous time she had the privilege of seeing him minus his blue shirt, thanks to 'bloody Pissgate'. He accused her of behaving like ' a Piss throwing Psycho' for doing what she did but secretly by the end of that very long day, John found he and her were actually like two peas in a pond and a match made in heaven.

"Knock knock, you decent?" Kayleigh knocks from the opposite side of the bedroom door. She's come to the ridiculous conclusion that he's already got undressed and that he's laid back waiting for her on the bed.

"I'm not stark bollock naked yet if that's what you're thinking, Kayleigh." John answers.

Kayleigh re-enters the bedroom, holding a tub of Flora Butter, a buttering knife and a blue tartan tea towel. She's smiling to herself and blushing. She's a little embarrassed that she wrongly thought John might have planned to surprise her by stripping off naked in her absence. "Here give me your boot," Kayleigh asks.

"I'm not chopping it off for you if that's what you want me to do." John flinched at the thought of this.

"No...no...oh god no. No, I mean stick lie back on the pillows and stick your leg out on the edge of the bed." Kayleigh gets down on her knees at the side of the bed and gets ready to add the butter inside the boot. John follows her instructions. He finds it sexy to see her kneeling in this position but thankfully he doesn't dare to let this thought escape from his mouth.

Kayleigh empties the buttery content from the tub into John's leather boot. "Are you sure this is going to work?" John asks. He isn't sure it will do the trick for him.

"Yes. Mandy used it on Steve's..."

"Urgh, I don't want to imagine what it was for," John says cutting her off from finishing what she was nearly about to tell him. She slaps his arm playfully. She thinks he behaved rudely for preventing her from telling him this story.

"I can feel movement." John excitedly announces. He can feel his foot quickly slipping out from the boot and finally getting the fresh air it desperately needs. "Oh, Kayleigh I kiss you right now." He wants to reward her with all the kisses in the world.

"Not while you have a buttery foot." Kayleigh giggles. She throws him in the tea towel for him to wipe his foot.

Sometime later, he's done with giving his foot a proper clean and throws the now dirty towel over the nearby wooden chair that's by the window.

He realises that he and Kayleigh haven't shared a cuddle since they had settled down in the bedroom together. "Mind if we have a cuddle," John asks. Now that he's got her alone and that no nosy bugger from work is currently spying on them. He knows all he wants to feel the warmth of her arms around him and her nestled in his embrace.

"I'd like that very much." She smiles. She goes to lay down on the bed alongside him. John lifts his arm up in the air briefly, allowing Kayleigh access to rest her head on his shoulder and lay her hand across his chest. Kayleigh takes pleasure in slipping her hand beneath his shirt and letting it freely caress his smoothened chest.

"Oh, I thought you had a chest hair?" She recalls he had very furry body hair that time she saw him in his 'I ran the World' vest during the first day of the Car Share work programme.

"Not anymore, I'm afraid." John broadly grins. "Smooth as a whistle I am." He proudly announces. Kayleigh pops his shirt buttons open, she's desperately seeking a birdseye view of his chest and stomach. Him being fully clothed was no good. She wants him topless on the bed, for a thorough upper body inspection and further inspections once she gets to have her wicked way with him.

She removes the shirt from his shoulders and then climbs on top of him. "What about our hug?" John says glancing up at her.

"Oh, there's plenty of time for that Johnathan" She promises him. She then leans in towards him. Whispering in his ear. "Anyway, you promised me a night we'd never forget. Make love to me John"

John doesn't need telling more once. He helps remove her black leather blazer and the black bow headband which was pushing her hair up. Her hair drapes down, long and flowingly across her back. He wonders why he hasn't touched or peppered her neck with soft kisses, Clearly, he was reserving himself for the right moment, to ravish her the way she wants him to.

Next, his hands reach for the bottom of her pink shirt, lifts her arms up slightly in the air. He looks at her for permission which she gives and he, therefore, removes the light garment. "You're not wearing these things are you?" John points to the gold bangles on her both wrists. You can't have sex wearing bangles, they'd be a lover's nightmare getting bangle marks across their chest and back.

She takes them off and places them on the bedside table. She then straightens her hair and drapes it across her shoulders. John couldn't take his eyes off her at that very moment. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. He kept replaying it in his mind in a slow motion, the cheeky smirk and eye wink she gave him. He was falling head over heels in love with her all over again.

She pushes him back on the bed and makes him sit and watch her do a teasing and tantalizing reveal of her freeing Cagney and Lacey from the black material. "Are you trying to give me a strip dance here Kayleigh? Because if you are, it's doing the bloody trick alright!" John announces the only way he knows how. Kayleigh laughs as she's pushing her skirt down her legs and then tosses it on the floor.

John is feeling turned on by the sight of what he assumes to be Cagney on the right finally making a long-awaited appearance. Lacey soon follows seconds later. Kayleigh crawls down to the bottom of the bed and hops off it for a couple of seconds. "Where are you going?" He asks. He doesn't see that she's eyeing the opportunity of peeling his blue/grey silky trousers off him. When she does, John only answers with an 'Oh'.

Kayleigh crawls back up to him on the bed much to John's obvious delight. Their lips soon meet in a deep and fervent kiss. Surprisingly John was taking the lead, he was putting every effort possible into their many kisses. They were incredibly good at kissing. She grips his head with her hands with the aim of deepening the kiss. A minute or so later John tears his mouth from her lips and proceeds to lavish her neck and cheeks with feathered kisses. He sees from the corner of his eye, she's looking just as completely as him. She slowly closes her eyes, focusing on the feel of the warmth of his lips on her bare skin. No previous boyfriend had made her feel this way before, with them it was all about getting their hands on Cagney and Lacey and getting a good shag but with John, the experience felt so different and perfect.

She smiles to herself feeling his lips exploring her lower neck. "John...John" She said breathlessly. "Oh Fucky Me!" Her mind was clearly heading into overdrive. John dragged himself away from her lips momentarily.

"What?" He tries not to laugh greatly but the urge not to proves a bit of a battle for him.

"Sorry, I meant Oh Lucky Me." They laugh together. The aspect of their relationship was a joy to behold. They were constantly supportive of each other, John had stood up for Kayleigh against Dave Thompson and Kayleigh had stood up for John against Stink Ray. They both enjoyed the same music. They had both visited the Blackpool Pier to watch a Cannon and Ball show and the thing which connected them the most was the fact they enjoyed each other's company. Kayleigh had found herself missing him on the Monday morning after she moved into his sister's house, so much so that she rang John 8 times. When he picked her up from outside the tram station, she could tell he was proper excited and relieved to see her getting back in the car alongside him again.

"Only you could say something as filthy as that, Kayleigh Kitson."

"Well, you better start to get used to it from now on, Jonathan." She winks as if she's copying the famous Anne Robinson wink from The Weakest Link.

"Oh, I will. I bloody will. I'm already looking forward to hearing more of your 18 rated words."

Kayleigh slaps his arm playfully. They spend another ten minutes, making the other cry with laughter with untold tales from work. Things took a romantic turn between them after John finishes his story about the time Dave Thompson accidentally got locked in his office all night. The atmosphere changes between them in the blink of an eye, laughter is replaced by intimate and longing looks. "Do you know I fancy you so much?" Kayleigh says caressing his face with her hands. Her thumbs circling his cheeks.

"Oh stop it you've got me blushing now. Don't you be taking a picture!" John knows she isn't one to pass on a golden opportunity to take photos of animals or of someone close to him when they're in the midst of having a funny or embarrassing moment.

"I wasn't planning to. Well, maybe just the one" Kayleigh promises him. John's head darts up, with a mortified look. He hopes she's only joking. Oh, she's definitely taking a photo of him, most likely when he's sleeping peacefully naked beside her.

"Anyway, why we still talking?" John has a point. He's obviously become turned on by each and every minute after the amount of time spent talking. They had been in the thrusts of passion, in the middle of expressing their love for each other and yet they were talking about embarrassing photos of all things.

"Right-O." Kayleigh smirks.

"Hmm. Come to think my girlfriend's got a funny habit of keeping me waiting occasionally" John smirks back, flirting with her.

"Has she now? Well, I think maybe she's about to sort this problem out once and for all." Kaylegh winks. She makes her intentions clear as her hands instinctively reach down and grab the waistband of his boxers which she then pushes down to his legs and removing them in one quick move.

Their confidence was shown no sign of failing them anytime soon as they picked up where they left off. Kayleigh got the upper hand by pinning John on the bed and reconnecting her lips with his. She found them pleasurable and alluring to kiss. She tore her lips away fleetingly, so she was able to remove her underwear. They feel they've at long last found that missing piece of the jigsaw which they'd both long been seeking for, upon their physical and glowing connection. Their lovemaking was romantic, emotional and gentle. John proves he's a tender and considerate lover. Kayleigh knows she wants to keep him forever because of this. The kisses he lavishes her body were absolutely heavenly. John rolled over onto her, so she was lying beneath, looking the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She lets out what felt like a million seductive moans. It was as if the two of them were destined to be together from the very first day of their car share journey. John was totally mesmerized by the sight of her looking very much like a Greek goddess as well as her hair splayed out on the bed pillows

Half an hour later they were shagged out. Kayleigh was comfortably snuggled up in John's arms. They were still recovering from their lovemaking, Kayleigh could feel John's panting. Honestly, she loved the bones of this adorable, sexy, and thoughtful man who had welcomed her into his bed.

"My sex god," Kayleigh whispers, thinking he can't fully hear her.

"Sex god? Do you mean me?" John asks. He had heard her. He hadn't quite considered himself a sex god before. Charlotte had never declared him to be one while they were courting, neither did Anna. He was touched that Kayleigh was the one to tell him this.

"Well I didn't mean Ted 2, did I? Elsie told me at the party, she saw him performing at a Little Mix gig as one of their backing dancers, the other week." She jokes with him.

"Barbara Bask's lad bagging himself a stage performance alongside Little Mix. Christ, how did he manage that so quickly? I thought he was still attending Uni."

"Probably got his lucky break thanks to some talent agent. Oh, these talent agents are everywhere nowadays John. They're like those Whac-A-Mole things at the funfair that you have to keep knocking down with a mallet. Our Mandy got offered the chance to star in a tv advert about milk when she was pregnant with Alfie. She got pissed off with him and nearly ran over the idiot in her Citreon. Served him right I suppose."

"You're joking? Well, I'm not surprised she did that. I'd have done the same myself."

"Oh. Like you did that time when you threatened the Psycho cyclist, who put the bottle on your car roof."

"Don't start. Do you believe I've had 150,000 views on YouTube since that bloody happened." John would rather leave that embarrassing previous situation in the past.

"You're a YouTube sensation, John," Kayleigh claims before she buries her face against his bare shoulder, turning her head away a little so she can laugh. He shakes his head at first but finds himself laughing too before long.

John adjusts himself up against the headboard once he's calmed down from all the laughing he's done. He's got a couple of things he wants to get off his chest with Kayleigh. "This is why I love you, Kayleigh. You amaze me. You make me laugh. You make me the luckiest man ever to have such a beautiful girlfriend in his life. I think you should move in with me. Hope it's not too soon me asking ya."

Kayleigh gasps excitedly, her hands shielding her mouth as she herself sits up beside him in the bed. She's taking ages to give John an answer. He was bracing himself to be told it was way too early in their relationship to ask her, besides they'd only been courting for over a week. Perhaps he should have left it until 6 months into their relationship to ask her one of life's important questions. He only asked her to move in with him because he couldn't bear the thought of spending nights apart from her.

Kayleigh spreads her hands across his chest and whips the duvet off him as she does so. "Give over!" She keeps her eyes open as she gives him a brief tender kiss on the lips. She pulls away smiling mischievously, stroking his cheek with her right hand and making him guess for himself what her answer is.

"I'll take that as yes shall I?" John asks.

"You betcha. Nobody's ever been this romantic and shamazing with me. I always thought I'd be single for the rest of my life. I'm glad fate put us together John."

"You mean Cath Hilton. I guess we've got her to thank for playing Lady Cupid in a way for us. I'll thank her when I see her next on Monday morning."

"I can't wait to move in with you." She's over the moon that she now can move out from her sister's house, make the box bedroom become available and move into boyfriend's house. "I've gotta text our Mandy and tell her." She hops out of the bed and goes looking to retrieve her phone in the dark. She doesn't realise it but she's giving John brief glimpses of her bum.

"What at 2.30am?" John quickly checks the digital clock on the bedside table. "Honest to god, what am I letting myself in for with you eh?"

"No, you're probably right, best leave it. I'll text her while we're having breakfast together." Kayleigh says as she slips back into bed and lays across John who is resting his head back on the pillow. They share a sensual kiss. Clearly, they were up for Round 2, Round 3 even Round 8 by the looks of things. They'd done so much rolling about before, during and after they'd made love, John was now left to wonder left whose turn it was to be on top next.

 **End of Chapter**

 **All Reviews are Welcome**


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